VITAMIN ANGELS AND THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH OF INDONESIA HOST MMS MEETING WITH LEADING NATIONAL AND GLOBAL EXPERTS TO REVIEW PROGRESS ON INDONESIA'S "NATIONAL MMS ANTENATAL PROGRAM"

As one of the first countries to implement an end-to-end initiative to integrate MMS and nutrition training into its national health care system, Indonesia aims to reach 4.8 million pregnant women with MMS by 2026

BOGOR, Indonesia, May 19, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Vitamin Angels and the Ministry of Health of Indonesia convened national and global experts in maternal and child nutrition this month to review progress on Indonesia's efforts to introduce and scale up UNIMMAP MMS for pregnant women nationwide. This comprehensive, multi-sectoral initiative addresses the problem of maternal anemia, micronutrient deficiencies, and poor birth outcomes in Indonesia. As one of the world's first countries to replace the current standard of care, iron folic acid (IFA), with MMS and implement an end-to-end initiative to integrate MMS within its national health care system, Indonesia has set a powerful global precedent in advancing the health and nutrition of pregnant women. 

Alongside Vitamin Angels and the Ministry of Health of Indonesia, attendees included experts from the Indonesia MMS Technical Advisory Group (TAG), Kirk Humanitarian, and scientists from six local and international universities. 

"We are grateful for the collaboration of many partners in supporting this initiative and the rollout of MMS across Indonesia," said Dr. Lovely Daisy, Director of Family Health Services at the Ministry of Health of Indonesia. "Their contributions have strengthened our national strategy and brought us closer to addressing one of our most pressing health challenges—anemia, which affects nearly half of all pregnant women in our country. We believe that the integration of MMS within our comprehensive set of services for pregnant women will improve maternal nutrition and health outcomes for both women and their babies."

Meeting participants reflected on this comprehensive initiative and the multifaceted efforts driving Indonesia's successful integration of MMS including new national policy and regulations, programmatic guidelines, healthcare provider training, behavior change counseling, a supply of MMS for launch and initial scaling, and a multi-year transition plan to support local manufacturing. The outcomes of these discussions are being documented and will serve as an example for other countries preparing to introduce MMS on a national scale. 

"The significance of Indonesia's MMS initiative extends far beyond the transition from IFA to MMS, which in itself is a critical advancement given MMS's proven superiority in preventing poor birth outcomes," said Dr. Ana Céspedes, CEO of Vitamin Angels. "What makes this initiative truly exceptional is our close partnership with the Ministry of Health to address every aspect of implementation, from policy development to improving adherence among pregnant women. It stands as one of the most comprehensive and impactful maternal nutrition programs Vitamin Angels has supported in recent years, reflecting our deep commitment to working alongside governments and global and local partners to improve maternal health outcomes."

A key element of Indonesia's long-term strategy is the advancement of policy to enable domestic manufacturing of MMS. This step is critical to ensuring a sustainable supply beyond the initial phases of rollout. Currently, the MMS distributed through the program is made possible by the generous support of Kirk Humanitarian, who is donating the product.

"Indonesia is the first country to identify and successfully implement a strategy to secure a sustainable supply of MMS from local manufacturers to meet the needs of Indonesia while serving the regional export market," said Spencer Kirk, Managing Director, Kirk Humanitarian. "This is a critical step in demonstrating how a nation can transition from depending on imported, donated MMS product to self-sufficiency."

Looking ahead, Vitamin Angels will continue equipping healthcare providers with the training and tools they need to deliver care effectively to ensure a deeper, lasting impact on the health of pregnant women nationwide, including supplementation with MMS. This year, 1.3 million pregnant women across 209 districts in Indonesia will receive MMS with an additional 1.3 million bottles expected by the third quarter. By 2026, the aim is to reach 4.8 million pregnant women with MMS.

"This program wouldn't be possible without the vision and leadership of the Ministry of Health of Indonesia and the strong collaboration of our technical partners," said Otte Santika, Indonesia Senior Country Advisor at Vitamin Angels. "This united effort is improving the health of millions of women and children across Indonesia."

To learn more about Vitamin Angels' work in Indonesia visit: vitaminangels.org/case-studies/indonesia-to-improve-the-health-of-women-children/

ABOUT VITAMIN ANGELS
Founded in 1994, Vitamin Angels is a public health nonprofit working to improve maternal and child nutrition in underserved communities worldwide. We reach more than 74 million women and children in over 65 countries annually through an extensive network of partner organizations, including governments. By strengthening, extending, and amplifying our partners' impact, we help ensure the most nutritionally vulnerable groups—pregnant women, infants, and young children—receive the essential nutrition they need to support a healthy future. We deliver proven nutrition interventions, provide technical assistance, and test effective strategies to create an enabling environment for optimal health outcomes. Both Charity Navigator and Candid give Vitamin Angels their highest marks for financial transparency. To learn more, visit www.vitaminangels.org.

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