Monitoring and Evaluation

Better monitoring, evaluation, and research that feeds into field projects and national programs is needed to improve the effectiveness of iron deficiency control programs. All intervention programs should incorporate monitoring processes, impact evaluation and strategies to widely disseminate information and lessons learned. More information is needed on the effectiveness of fortification and on the lessons learned by many countries starting to use this intervention. Such information must be made more widely available to international agencies and non-governmental organizations (NGOs).

Better tools and more information are needed to allow programs using iron supplements to identify factors that negatively affect their effectiveness and to guide such programs toward better systems of pill distribution and higher levels of compliance in the regular taking of iron supplements. Data are also required to support nutrition program advocacy and to allow program leaders to optimize operations and resource use. Collection and analysis of more field-generated data are also necessary to facilitate decisions on new recommendations by organizations such as WHO, UNICEF, the MI, INACG and others.

IDPAS Iron World attempts to provide access to those working on iron nutrition to information on the interventions necessary to make a difference in reducing the prevalence of iron deficiency and iron deficiency anemia in the populations of most countries. IDPAS sees these interventions as available, affordable, and sustainable. Provided appropriate information is available to those working on projects and programs technical issues are no longer a constraint on program advocacy and design.

Considerable work is now ongoing to identify and develop several subcomponents of the major interventions needed for effective large-scale programs. There is also new work aimed at planning, implementing, monitoring, and evaluating projects based on integrated "packages" of interventions and multiple sector participation.

IDPAS Iron World helps to share useful information on lessons learned

These pages are under ongoing development. Corrections, suggestions for additional references, guidelines, documentation and graphics as well as comments on how the pages may be better organized or otherwise improved are welcome (see e-mail address below).