Research Article - Journal of Public Health and Nutrition (2022) Volume 5, Issue 7

Barriers and potential facilitators for effective nutrition governance in Tanzania Mainland.

Good nutrition governance is essential for all countries trying to improve nutrition because it forms the foundation from which sustained, and quality nutrition services can be provided at scale. This study determined the barriers and potential facilitators for effective Nutrition governance in Tanzania Mainland. The study adopted a cross sectional study design with mixed approach constituting qualitative and quantitative data collection approaches. Convenient sampling was used to select 184 Council Nutrition officers and 26 Regional Nutrition officers in Tanzania Mainland at phase one of quantitative approach. Semi structured web page administered questionnaires were administered to respondents using survey monkey, whereby descriptive statistics were performed using SPSS Version 20 to determine the barriers and facilitators for effective nutrition governance. In the qualitative phase, purposive sampling was employed in selecting 12 Nutrition officials from 12 Councils in Tanzania Mainland with adequate and those with inadequate nutrition governance. The barriers against and facilitators for effective nutrition governance were identified from quantitative phase whereby more information was explored in qualitative phase. An interview guide was used to interview the 12 Nutrition officers as key informant interview. Finally, thematic texts were analysed using Nvivo software version 11 to identify the themes in qualitative data. Inadequate funding for nutrition services, inadequate supportive supervision, inadequate nutrition assessment and screening and inadequate multisectoral collaboration were key barriers for effective Nutrition governance. Factors that potentially facilitated effective Nutrition governance, as identified by participants, were in service training, supportive supervision and availability of development partners supporting nutrition services.

Author(s): Zacharia Nyahende, Julius Edward Ntwenya, Samsambia Ramadhani, Leonard Katalambula, Ntuli Kapologwe

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