Health, Nutrition, and Population
ADB has played a major role as a regional promoter of global health
issues. ADB has supported research and policy formulation activity
specifically targeted to the Asia-Pacific region to prevent transmission
of contagious diseases such as HIV/AIDS
and malaria.
ADB has actively supported regional nutrition programs. Examples
of macro-policy support are technical assistance in Reducing Child
Malnutrition in eight Asian countries, and Nutrition
Improving Programs for Poor Mothers in Central Asian countries.
ADB also supports for micro-research in improving the quality of
grains and agricultural products such as iron-fortified rice to
fight iron deficiency anemia in poor women and children in Asia.
To address globalization issues such as genetically modified organisms
(GMOs), ADB has supported the Consultative Group on International
Agricultural Research, and undertaken initiatives with the Asian
Vegetable and Research Development Centre in close collaboration
with national agricultural research systems for Asia and the Pacific
and the SEAMEO Regional Centre for Graduate Study and Research in
Agriculture in the Philippines.
A video Central Asia's
Hidden Hunger is now available through ADB's publication unit.
Other Activities
2005
Strengthening Malaria Control for Ethnic Minorities (May 2005)
Reducing the burden of malaria among poor ethnic minorities living in malaria-prone locations in the GMS, thereby helping to reduce child and maternal mortality by:
- building capacity of national malaria institutions to develop acceptable, affordable, and effective strategies for malaria control for ethnic minorities
- scaling-up malaria control efforts for these populations through national malaria control programs
- promoting regional collaboration for malaria control
Socioeconomic Implications of HIV/AIDS in the Pacific (April 2005)
Strengthening the regional response to HIV/AIDS in the Pacific by
- enhancing technical knowledge in HIV/AIDS programs and policies, particularly in regard to the socioeconomic aspects of the epidemic
- raising awareness and increasing understanding among key decision makers in the Pacific developing member countries of the critical HIV/AIDS issues
2004
Preparing the Greater Mekong Subregion Regional Communicable Diseases Control Project (October 2004)
Objectives include
- improving regional CDC coordination
- ensuring timely and appropriate control of epidemics that are likely to have a major impact on public health and the economy
- reversing the spread of HIV/AIDS in high-risk populations
- reducing the burden of endemic infectious diseases of remote populations, including in border areas.
2003
Regional Support
to Address the Outbreak of SARS
Providing emergency assistance to members countries in the region
to strengthen health systems' capacities to prevent and contain
outbreaks of SARS contagion over the next few months. ADB will
work closely with governments, WHO, and other stakeholders, in
particular NGOs, to identify the gaps, both quantitatively (how
much is needed) and qualitatively (where are the resources needed).
In the medium-term, the steps taken to respond to SARS can also
improve the capacity of health systems to confront other communicable
diseases.
2002
Regional
Initiative to Eliminate Micronutrient Malnutrition in Asia through
Public-Private Partnership
Building partnerships between the public and private sectors to
enrich nutrition by improving consumer choice in the marketplace.
The objective is to improve human nutrition by strengthening industrial
policy and the role of the private sector in enhancing an affordable
and high quality diet for the poor.
ICT and
HIV/AIDS Preventive Education in the Cross-Border Areas of the
Greater Mekong Subregion
Increasing awareness of and skills on how to prevent infection
among the more vulnerable groups by:
- training teachers in using ICT-based learning materials and
preventive education efforts in schools
- developing a strategy of decentralized development of materials
down to the provincial/district level§ developing and disseminating
educational radio programs and audio tapes
- systematically collecting, storing, and repackaging innovative
education materials in an expanded clearinghouse of information
and materials support
- establishing a geographic information system (GIS)
- direct targeting interventions among special and interstitial
populations, in collaboration with community-based organizations
and nongovernment organizations (NGOs).
2001
Regional Study
of Health Care Financing for the Poor
Identifying a range of health financing options that could assist
DMC governments to diversify their sources of financing of health
services for the poor.
2000
Roll Back Malaria
Initiative in the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS)
Improving the health status of poor and vulnerable population
groups in the GMS by reducing morbidity and mortality due to malaria.
Identifying
Disability Issues Related to Poverty Reduction
The objectives of the technical assistance are to
- familiarize the Developing Member Countries (DMCs) with ADB's
overarching objective of poverty reduction and other related
ADB policies to help address the vulnerability and poverty situation
of disabled peoples
- identify and analyze the DMCs' national policies, programs,
projects, and initiatives concerning disabilities and poverty
to be used as a basis for action plans
- provide a forum for ADB, Government, and disabled peoples'
groups and organizations to identify and discuss disabled peoples'
needs and concerns particularly those related to poverty
- develop a disability checklist for ADB.
Regions and Countries 
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