Principal Secretaries’ Steering Committee On Nutrition, HIV and AIDS

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To facilitate coordination of nutrition programme within the public sector, Government established the Principal Secretaries’ Committee on Nutrition, HIV and AIDS.  The committee provides a platform for Principal Secretaries to deliberate and share information on Nutrition, HIV and AIDS policies, plans, programmes and reports.

Composition

The Principal Secretaries’ Steering Committee on Nutrition, HIV and AIDS comprises:

  • Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet (Chairperson)
  • Secretary for Health
  • Secretary for Agriculture and Food Security
  • Secretary for Local Government and Rural Development
  • Secretary for Education, Science and Technology
  • Secretary for Finance, Economic Planning and Development
  • Secretary for Gender, Children, Disability and Community Services
  • Secretary for Information, Tourism and Civic Education
  • Secretary for Department of Human Resource Management and Development
  • Secretary For Disaster Management Affairs
  • Secretary for Nutrition, HIV and AIDS – Ex Officio
  • Executive Director, National AIDS Commission  – Ex Officio

Scope of Work

The following are roles of the Principal Secretaries’ Committee on Nutrition, HIV and AIDS:     

  • Receiving annual plans; reports, policies and procedures for Nutrition, HIV and AIDS Programmes. 
  • Ensuring that Nutrition and HIV and AIDS policies and strategies are aligned to relevant sector policies and strategies.
  • Vetting draft policies and strategic documents on Nutrition, HIV and AIDS prior to approval by Government.
  • Ensuring that Nutrition interventions adhere to sector norms, standards, accountability and Monitoring and Evaluation.
  • Ensuring equitable distribution of resources and technical support for Nutrition, HIV and AIDS.
  • Participating in review meetings and other fora on Nutrition, HIV and AIDS.
  • Ensuring that nutrition and HIV and AIDS are integrated and mainstreamed into all sectors including the public sector through planning, budgeting and capacity building processes.
  • Receiving and reviewing progress reports on nutrition, HIV and AIDS issues as they relate to various sectors.
  • Ensuring that nutrition HIV and AIDS issues are accorded priority, implemented and followed up at ministerial levels.
  • Ensuring effective communication, coordination and implementation of planned nutrition, HIV and AIDS policies and strategies in various sectors.
  • Receiving and reviewing progress reports on nutrition, HIV and AIDS issues as they relate to various sectors.
  • Conduct advocacy on Nutrition, HIV and AIDS issues.

Operational modalities

The Principal Secretaries’ Committee on Nutrition, HIV and AIDS will meet twice a year (biannual) and on exceptional basis when required. The DNHA will be the Secretariat and will be responsible for the following:

  • Planning dates of meetings in liaison with the office of the Chief Secretary to Government.
  • Managing invitations, confirmations, meeting logistics, producing minutes and write ups/papers, and follow up of issues requiring action. 
  • Circulating documents for meeting to members and providing a brief to the chair at least 5 Days prior to the meeting. 
  • Produce and circulate minutes including action points for follow up within a period of 5 days after the meeting.
  • Ensuring that where a Principal Secretary delegates an Officer from his/her Ministry, the DNHA follows up with the respective Principal Secretary on actions requiring his/her ministry.
  • Ensuring that the meeting discusses reports from sector ministries on their Nutrition or Nutrition Mainstreaming interventions.  Respective Ministries and/or Department will submit reports on respective sectoral plans and implementation status of Nutrition interventions at least 5 days prior to the meeting. 

Leadership

The Committee meetings are chaired by the Chief Secretary to Government.  S/he leads the discussions and ensures active participation of all members. 

Accountability and reporting

The committee reports to the Cabinet Committee on Sustainable Social Development through the Minister of Health. 

Linkages with other coordinating committees

The Principal Secretaries’ Committee for Nutrition, HIV and AIDS will establish and maintain linkages with committees for Principal Secretaries and Joint Sector Review Committees in the Ministry of Agriculture; Local Government and Rural Development; Education Sector Review Group; Joint Sector Group on Gender and Youth; Malawi Partnership Forum for HIV and AIDS; and, the Health Donor Group.