Zinc: Saving Lives and Supporting Healthy Child Development

Challenge: Zinc helps prevent illness and stunted growth in children and it reduces child mortality. Despite these proven health benefits, approximately 2 billion people still remain at risk of zinc deficiency. Globally, zinc deficiency contributes to approximately 800,000 child deaths per year.

Solutions: MI worked with the World Health Organization, UNICEF, IZiNCG and the Zinc Task Force on the initial implementation of a 5-year Strategic Plan for National Zinc Deficiency Reduction Programs. MI also supported a successful program to test the use of fluid milk fortified with iron and zinc, and helped launched a new advocacy effort to stimulate national zinc programs to improve child health.