(P15-02-26) How Governance and Data Systems Shape Early Childhood Nutrition Policy in Grenada

Objectives: This study examined how governance arrangements and sectoral data systems shape early childhood nutrition policy in Grenada. The analysis focused on responsibilities across the Ministry of Health (MoH), Ministry of Education (MoE), Ministry of Social Development (MoSD), and the Grenada Food and Nutrition Council (GFNC), and how these structures influence design and feasibility of the national Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF) policy draft.

Methods: An applied qualitative policy analysis was conducted with materials generated during development of Grenada's national Intersectoral Early Childhood Development (ECD) Strategy, a multisectoral framework coordinating services for young children. Sources included 50 key informant interview transcripts, 33 focus group discussion transcripts, stakeholder consultation records, and 19 policy, administrative, and institutional documents. Document abstraction identified mandates, priorities, and monitoring frameworks. Thematic synthesis examined governance structures, service platforms, and data flows across sectors.

Results: Responsibilities for early childhood nutrition are distributed across ministries operating through separate service delivery and reporting systems. MoH oversees maternal and child health services and growth monitoring, MoE manages pre-primary education and school programs, and MoSD regulates daycare services and social protection. GFNC conducts nutrition surveillance and technical guidance. Nutrition data are collected through clinical records, education reports, social protection registries, and monitoring activities but are not routinely linked. Policy analysis suggests IYCF priorities align with interventions delivered through existing sector platforms, particularly breastfeeding promotion and household-level nutrition support, while coordination for referrals, monitoring, and data sharing remains limited.

Conclusions: Sectoral governance and fragmented monitoring systems shape early childhood nutrition policy in Grenada. Strengthening implementation requires clearer coordination across ministries, improved data sharing, and alignment of monitoring frameworks within the emerging ECD Strategy.

Funding Sources: CCCN and the Johns Hopkins Center for Human Nutrition