On May 18, the expert committee of the China Children and Teenagers’ Fund (CCTF) nutrition improvement public welfare program “Care from the Beginning” and the first working promotion conference was held in Beijing. Experts and scholars at the conference discussed the direction of nutrition improvement in the early 1,000 days of life, explored maternal and infant nutrition in poor areas, and helped improve the health of women and children in China.

“Care from the Beginning” program and the first working promotion conference was held in Beijing

“The 1000 days of early life” was defined by the WHO as a “window of opportunity” for a person’s growth and development, which is the 280 days in the womb and 720 days after birth. This is the first critical stage of child development, affecting not only physical and brain development in infancy, but also the health of the child when he/she becomes an adult. 

General secretary Xi Jinping made an important speech during a collective talk with the new leadership team of All-China Women’s Federation, pointing out that “Women's federation can play a role in popularizing healthy life, optimizing health services, building a healthy environment and other aspects”, which pointed out the correct function positioning of women’s federations at all levels and pointed out the direction of making contributions in the new era. The launch and implementation of the “Care from the Beginning” public welfare program for nutrition improvement in the early 1000 days of life is a positive way to implement the spirit of general secretary Xi Jinping’s important speech, and also to help improve the nutritional deficiency of pregnant women and infants in poor areas, and to help prevent the transmission of malnutrition across generations.

Zhu Xisheng, secretary general of CCTF gave a speech

Zhu Xisheng, secretary general of CCTF, said in his speech that in 2019, 6 poverty-stricken counties, including Xihe County in Gansu Province, will be selected as the program implementation counties, with a total of 2,400 families as the key support objects, so as to provide multi-dimensional and whole-cycle health services for the families of pregnant and lying-in women in the first 1,000 days of their babies’ lives. CCTF will work with local governments and enterprises to promote the implementation of the program with a high sense of responsibility and mission, and make due contributions to help poor families of pregnant women raise their health awareness and health level.

Zhang Zhiqiang, deputy director of the Food Safety Standards, Testing and Evaluation Department of National Health Commission gave a speech

Zhang Zhiqiang, deputy director of Food Safety Standards, Testing and Evaluation Department of National Health Commission said that as the fight against poverty enters its most critical period, improving children’s nutrition and health is directly related to the quality of China’s future population, economic and social development and international competitiveness. By fully mobilizing social forces, a good situation will be created in which the government, enterprises, professional institutions and social organizations integrate together.

“As the program implementation of ‘Care at the Beginning’, the Institute of Microbiology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences will actively explore the practical experience of carrying out the first 1,000 days of life in poor areas from the perspective of the program, and conclude the model that can be replicated and popularized to effectively reduce malnutrition and stunting of children in poor areas, so as to significantly improve the social effect value of the program”, said Qian Wei, deputy director of the Institute of Microbiology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

“Care from the Beginning” is supported by Reckitt Benckiser Group, whose vice president of Greater China of Mead Johnson Nutrition, Gu Lei, expressed confidence of the program. With the linkage and support of all social forces, “Care from the Beginning” is bound to be better implemented, maximize the social influence of the program, and have a sustainable and meaningful positive impact on the society.

Leaders issued certificates to some members of the Advisory Committee of the program

The event also received supports from national ministries and commissions, health administration departments, medical and health care institutions at all levels, scientific research institutes, central enterprises and other organizations. Many experts and scholars from different fields, such as medical treatment, nutrition and health, child health care, public health and so on, joined in the advisory expert committee of the program, and the leaders present the appointment letters to them. 

In the discussion session in the afternoon, experts held in-depth exchanges and sharing on maternal health management and children safety quality control, children development and health care, nutrition management during pregnancy, and discussed the program concept and goal, appropriate technology, education and training, talent training, academic exchange and so on.

Professor Tao Yong and associate professor Wang Liming at the Institute of Microbiology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and Professor Lai Jianqiang at the Institute of Nutrition and Health of Chinese Center of Disease Control and Prevention, as well as many other experts in medical-related fields, women’s federations and related personnel in health system attended the meeting.