KENYA—The United Nations (UN) Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, has appointed Ms. Gladys Mugambi as the acting head of the Directorate of Health Promotion and Education in Kenya’s Ministry of Health. She has been appointed as an Ex-officio member to combat malnutrition.
Ms. Mugambi’s appointment is part of the Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) Movement, a global initiative dedicated to eradicating malnutrition worldwide.
The SUN Movement focuses on prioritizing national nutrition plans, fostering collaboration, and ensuring the availability of sustainable and nutritious diets for children, adolescents, mothers, and families.
The inclusion of Ms. Mugambi in the SUN Movement Lead Group highlights Kenya’s commitment to addressing the nutritional needs of its population and contributing to the broader objectives of the movement.
With her expertise and dedication to addressing the nutritional challenges faced by communities, Ms. Mugambi is an invaluable asset in the fight against malnutrition.
With her extensive experience in health promotion and education, she is well-equipped to spearhead initiatives aimed at combatting malnutrition and promoting health education both in Kenya and globally.
Dr. Githinji Gitahi, CEO of AMREF Health Africa, has also been appointed as a member of the SUN Movement Lead Group, representing Kenya.
With both appointments, it reinforces the country’s commitment to addressing malnutrition and strengthens its position in the global fight against this critical issue.
The Ministry of Health in Kenya now assumes a crucial role in the fight against malnutrition, with Ms. Mugambi’s appointment serving as a testament to the government’s dedication to addressing the nutritional needs of its population.
Together with other appointed leaders, she will contribute to creating a world free from malnutrition and its detrimental impacts on individuals and communities.
As Ms. Mugambi takes on this new responsibility, the Ministry of Health and the SUN Movement is poised to make significant strides in combatting malnutrition and promoting food and nutrition security.
Through collective efforts and strategic actions, they aim to create a healthier and more nourished future for all.
Ms. Mugambi is the Focal Point for SUN in Kenya and since October 2021 Co-Chair of the SUN Movement’s Executive Committee.
She has over 20 years of experience working in the government at the district and national level including as the head of the Nutrition and Dietetics Unit at Kenya’s Ministry of Health.
Prior to these positions, Ms. Mugambi worked as a district nutritionist with the Ministry of Health in Thika District for ten years where she initiated supplementation through Early Childhood Development centers and developed a proposal for funding the national food fortification program.
For five years, she also spearheaded the implementation of the national food fortification project.
Ms. Mugambi participated in research, co-authored publications, and participated in regional and global conferences.
She is a registered nutritionist and holds a BS. degree in Home Economics from the University of Eastern Africa, Baraton, and an MSc in Food, Nutrition, and Dietetics from Kenyatta University and currently pursuing a PhD in Health Systems.
Since 2010, the SUN Movement has inspired a new way of working collaboratively to end malnutrition, in all its forms.
With the governments of SUN Countries in the lead, it unites people from civil society, the United Nations, donors, businesses, and researchers in a collective effort to improve nutrition.
The Scaling Up Nutrition Movement Strategy SUN 3.0 (2021–2025) continues to highlight the importance of nutrition as a universal agenda and one which is integral to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
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