Evidence-based development
When Eminence first started out in 2003, prevention and community-based intervention for noncommunicable diseases were limited. Noncommunicable disease management did not exist in our health sector. There were only arsenic and other similar diseases included in the health sector program, which did not include diabetes, hypertension, cancer, etc. Moreover, the government nutrition programs focused exclusively on undernutrition. There were no programs regarding overnutrition and other overweight-related issues. While Eminence was a small organization, it provided a large voice to these NCDs. The government in the last 5 years has included NCDs such as diabetes, hypertension, and cancer in the health sector program-Health Population and Nutrition Sector Program (HPNSP), one of the large operational programs (OP) is the non-communicable disease control (NCDC) program. We believe Eminence’s evidence-based activities have a great impact on community-based NCD-related interventions and have enacted successful policy change. However, we have a long way to go in regards to non-communicable diseases, as Bangladesh lacks good primary health care services in urban areas, which is essential to provide preventative healthcare and management of disease in regards to NCDs.
Homemade food and breastfeeding Prioritization
One of the ways we have influenced nutrition programs is by emphasizing the importance of homemade foods and breastfeeding. Eminence voluntarily played a secretarial role in regards to the global Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) movement in Bangladesh. This movement engaged various national organizations to take part in promoting diversified homemade foods and advocate breastfeeding. The government was concerned about unhealthy food consumption and wanted to promote safe and healthy food. Moreover, the private sector is now also engaged in activities related to safe food consumption. There is still a large gap in diversified food consumption, food production standards, food price gouging limitations. To aid with these issues, Eminence pledges to fight for this social justice.
Research Quality Improvement
- MDGF baseline