Malnutrition Screening for Stronger Health Systems: From Evidence to Action

Malnutrition remains one of the most significant barriers to improving health outcomes worldwide. As countries continue to strengthen primary and community health services, there is growing emphasis on the early and consistent identification of nutrition risks across populations. Strengthening nutrition services requires effective tools and interventions, as well as a trained workforce, reliable data, practical implementation strategies, and strong partnerships that enable countries to evaluate and integrate new approaches into existing systems.

This session will bring together researchers, implementers, health system leaders, and global health experts to explore how country-led evidence can support stronger nutrition services and more resilient health systems. Speakers will share lessons on generating data that drives decision-making, evaluating innovative approaches within routine health services, and fostering collaboration to ensure that implementation experience informs future practice and guidance.

Drawing on perspectives from research, implementation, and health system leadership, the discussion will examine how evidence generated through real-world programs can support decision-making, strengthen nutrition screening and care, and help countries translate learning into sustainable action. Participants will gain insights into the role of implementation science, country ownership, and routine health data in advancing stronger health systems and improving health outcomes.