Rethinking Growth Monitoring and Promotion in the Era of Universal Health Coverage

Strategic Insights -

Growth monitoring and promotion programs have been implemented in almost every country for decades, but despite their long history, they have been criticized for being ineffective. A recent study conducted in Ethiopia aimed to evaluate the program's qualitative aspects and identify challenges affecting its effectiveness. The research involved focus-group discussions and key informant interviews with program managers, service providers, and caregivers. The findings highlighted several barriers to the program's success, including a lack of functional weighing scales, budget constraints, and low motivation among health workers.

Key Takeaways:

  • The growth monitoring and promotion program in Ethiopia has been criticized for being ineffective, with a need for a rethink of the program.
  • The program's main barriers to success include lack of functional weighing scales, budget constraints, limited transportation facilities, and low motivation among health workers.
  • The benefits of participating in the program were not always clear to beneficiaries, and competing priorities, long travel distances, and culturally insensitive practices deterred participation.
  • The program has the potential to serve as an entry point for mainstreaming nutrition into universal health coverage, but would require redesign and support from adequate supply, resources, and quality service delivery.
  • The study involved focus-group discussions (n = 28) and key informant interviews (n = 193) with program managers, service providers, and caregivers.

Statistics:

  • 28 focus-group discussions were conducted as part of the study.
  • 193 key informant interviews were conducted with program managers, service providers, and caregivers.
  • 111 River St, Hoboken 07030-5774, NJ, USA is the contact address for the journal Maternal & Child Nutrition.

Sources:

  • Rethinking Growth Monitoring and Promotion in the Era of Universal Health Coverage: Qualitative Assessment of Programme Delivery Challenges in Ethiopia. Maternal & Child Nutrition, 2025.
  • Findings from Addis Ababa University Broadens Understanding of Insurance (Rethinking Growth Monitoring and Promotion in the Era of Universal Health Coverage: Qualitative Assessment of Programme Delivery Challenges in Ethiopia). Managed Care Weekly Digest. October 20, 2025; p 30.