United Nations Appoints Dr Githinji Gitahi & Gladys Mugambi to Global Role

A collage of Dr Gitahi Githinji (left) and Ms. Gladys Mugambi (right)
A collage of Dr. Gitahi Githinji (left) and Ms. Gladys Mugambi (right)
Photo
AMREF/Ministry of Health

The United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres appointed two medical practitioners in Kenya to uptake global roles in the Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) Movement.

In a statement, Guterres appointed the Acting Head of the Directorate of Health Promotion and Education at the Ministry of Health, Gladys Mugambi and Dr Githinji Gitahi, CEO of AMREF Health Africa.

“Without good nutrition, there is no human development. Every child needs access to nutritious and safe foods to grow and develop to their full potential.  

"Unfortunately, today, more than 1 in 10 people in the world are severely food and nutrition insecure,” Guterres stated.

António Guterres and William Ruto
United Stated Secretary-General António Guterres (Left) and President William Ruto (Right) during a meeting in Nairobi on Wednesday, May 3, 2023.
PCS

Doctor Gitahi will be part of the SUN Movement Lead Group Members representing Kenya. Mugambi will be an ex-officio member, heading the Division of Family Health and SUN Movement Executive Committee Co-Chair.

Mugambi's appointment came as a part of the Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) Movement, which aims to address the pressing challenges related to food and nutrition security.

The two were part of 22 other global leaders appointed to help fight malnutrition in all its forms.

Guterres added that the movement will tackle malnutrition through a country-owned multisectoral and multi-stakeholder approach.

"These global leaders are championing country-led efforts to scale uo nutrition and to deliver for girls, boys, and their families a world free from malnutrition by 2030," he added.

The movement is dedicated to nutrition action and collaboration, including helping countries implement policies and legislation towards a systemic approach that provides every child, adolescent, mother, and family access to a nutritious diet.

Through national ownership and leadership, it promotes a holistic approach, where actors join forces for nutrition advocacy, investment, and coordinated action at the country level.

On her part, Catherine Russell, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Executive Director and Chair of the SUN Movement Lead Group, added that malnutrition is one of the leading causes of disease and death globally.

"The SUN Movement is working to raise awareness of nutrition as both a marker and a driver of sustainable development and to spur new investment and action," she explained.

A photo of women fetching water at an almost dried up well in MarsabitA photo of women fetching water at an almost dried up well in Marsabit
A photo of women fetching water at an almost dried-up well in Marsabit
Photo
MSF
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