PHA-Exch> the GAIN nutrition PPP in India

[Claudio Schuftan]

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*Media Brief: April 16 2008*

*People call Upon GAIN to leave India and Government of India to regulate
PPPs*

A joint action group constituted by 33 persons including individual experts,
pediatricians, public health experts, representatives from 19 national
organisations working in public interest in health, development, gender,
education and nutrition sector made strong voice and protest to GAIN for
sparing India from the hands of multinational consumer and food companies to
which GAIN is a promising market builder.

The group staged a silent protest using placards at the site of GAIN
initiated meeting to call for an India Alliance for Infant and young child
nutrition (IYCN) on 15th April in Delhi.

The group submitted a pretest note to the GAIN representative in India and
also interacted with the participants who were invited at the meeting and
offered to answer any questions if they have while using their right to
protest in the interest of people of India reeling with poverty, lack of
food and lack of support to women who nurture the future of India.

Two members of the protest group also participated in the meeting and raised
the points of 'conflicts of interest' while entering into any partnership.

Participants met immediately after the meeting and decided to work together
for future action on these issues.
*Contact for more information:*

Dr Arun Gupta *arun at ibfanasia.org* <arun at ibfanasia.org> 9911176306

Aware that hat infant and young child feeding and nutrition is a crucial
period of child development and nutrition inputs are key to their survival,
health and later developments;

Concerned the there is increasing interference of baby food/children's food
lobby on policy and implementation level for infant and young child feeding
and nutrition;

Believe that such interference is conflicting with public interest;

Highly disturbed on the setting up an India Alliance led by GAIN the Global
alliance for Improved nutrition, which is business interest NGO and its
interests are creating markets for its partners like Unilever, Cargill,
Danone, and Wockhardt;

Noting that Government of India has failed to initiate public action in this
area and now moving towards public private partnerships with MNCs to tackle
the problem of child malnutrition;

Appreciating the fact that the Ministry of HRD has not succumbed to the
pressures of the Biscuit Manufacturers lobby and resisted the attempts to
replace the hot, cooked mid-day meal with a packet of biscuits;

Concerned that food supplies is a major problem as well as price rise which
pushes people to poverty;

Believe that MNCs would be keen to market their baby foods for infants and
young children, which will perpetuate poverty;

Seriously concerned that GAIN under Infant and child nutrition intends "to
find new & sustained market for fortified food" and for " promoting market
driven solutions "

Recognise that market solutions have failed where health and nutrition are
concerned , specially where majority are poor , without purchasing power or
purchasing with indebtedness  and they can't  resist aggressively marketed
products;

Respect the* Infant Milk Substitutes Feeding Bottles, and Infant Foods
(Regulation of Production, Supply and Distribution) Act 1992* as amended in
2003, which prohibits promotion of all infant milk substitutes and baby
foods for children below 2 years;

Protest against such action and partnerships, which cater to profits and
markets;

Call upon Government of India, not to allow private manufacturers and
multinationals to take over and compromise the nutrition of India's infants
and children;

Call upon private players in nutrition to leave India's children alone and
submit our concerns explained in the document 'Questioning Market Solutions
for Child Malnutrition'



*Questioning Market Solutions for Child Malnutrition*

   - GAIN comes with a pre set mind aiming to build business for its
   partners. Proposed GAIN Forum in May 2007 lays down its intent. "…..The
   demonstrated benefits of GAIN's new business models will attract some of its
   leading partners from the EU, European Governments, leading companies such
   as Cargill, Unilever and Danone, and representatives of major international
   organisations."
   - Unlike traditional aid campaigns GAIN looks to build new markets for
   nutritious foods.  "
   - The new alliance is seen as "..champions for infant and young child
   feeding related issues in the country…". And they will advocate for 'IYCF
   friendly policy/ regulatory environment…. increasing access to affordable
   complementary foods/ complementary food supplements in accordance with the
   regulations in the country…"
   - Yakult Danone is a joint venture entrant to the probiotic foods market
   in India, they have already begun supporting pediatricians
   - In 2007, UNILEVER in partnership with UNICEF.…., "…we piloted an
   education programme for schoolchildren in Uganda highlighting the importance
   of hand-washing with soap, underpinned by our soap brand Lifebuoy. Coupled
   with this, the Unilever Marketing Academy helped develop health promotion
   campaigns in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. During the year the brand grew by
   9%."
   - *Wockhardt*, listed as one of the partners and who has recently
   acquired 'Farex' brand from DUMEX ( stated reason to give up is prohibition
   of promotion) *Wockhardt* has been recently found to be illegally
   promoting the 'Farex Infant Formula' through gifting 'slip pads' to doctors.
   Thus violating the *Infant Milk Substitutes Feeding Bottles, and Infant
   Foods (Regulation of Production, Supply and Distribution) Act 1992* as
   amended in 2003.
   - This raises the question of who will decide what Indian children should
   eat- health and nutrition experts from India, or corporate driven bodies
   from abroad.
   - Who should decide? Indian mouthpieces  of the business interest NGOs(
   BINGOs) or public interest NGOs (PINGOs) and the  GOs.
   - Why such special focus on fortified complementary foods ? Issue is not
   fortification but market based solution.
   - Who is interested in scaling business for Cargill, Danone, Unilever and
   Wockhardt?  Who wants to sell the little babies of India to MNCs?
   - Where are the guidelines for private sector and what is a private
   sector in the Partnerships?



*These are open questions to all, including the Government of India *

*Notes on child malnutrition *

   - Child malnutrion in India is essentially a problem of under 24 months
   so should be dealt entirely during or before that. It is so much so that it
   doubles up during first six months, reflecting undernutrition of mothers and
   infants. Further after six months it peaks by 2 years during the time it is
   due both to lack of food, that is hunger, and inadequate breastfeeding, with
   lots of other liquids or liquid like foods given to babies.
   - Child malnutrition is associated with majority of infant deaths. Most
   deaths of children under five occur during first year, and 2/3rd of those
   during first month, due to newborn infections, diarrhoea and pneumonia.
   - In India , more than 1.4 million infants die each year, and about 36
   million children under three are under nourished and do not develop to their
   full potential .
   - A cohort of more than 10 million under weights is added every year.
   These children continue to suffer the long term impact and pushed to severe
   child malnutrition due to hunger later in life.
   - Assuming that 27 million babies are born in India 75% women i.e. more
   than 20 million are NOT beginning breastfeeding within an hour. 72% i.e.
   close to 19.5 million women are NOT exclusively breastfeeding for six months
   and 48% i.e. close to 12 million are NOT giving solid/semisolid foods for
   complementary feeding to babies by 6-9 months.
   - According to the most updated scientific evidence one to one or group
   counselling/ education about breastfeeding and complementary feeding is the
   way to enhance these practices and after six months solid food supplements
   are required for food insecure populations.
   - Universal coverage of starting breastfeeding within one hour can avert
   22% newborn deaths. Universal coverage of exclusive breastfeeding can cut
   down diarrhea deaths by 4.6 times, and pneumonia deaths by 2.5 times.
   - As a public health recommendation WHO, UNICEF, Government of India
   recommend exclusive breastfeeding for the fist six months of life and after
   six months, mothers milk plus complementary feeding using semisolid/solid
   family foods is recommended.
   - *The Infant Milk Substitutes Feeding Bottles, and Infant Foods
   (Regulation of Production, Supply and Distribution) Act 1992 as amended in
   2003*, bans promotion of all kinds of foods marketed for babies under the
   age 2.
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