Ecuador’s Ministry of Public Health, under the leadership of María José Pinto and directed by President Daniel Noboa, has reported a 94% completion rate in forming and operating local intersectoral working groups. These groups, known as Mesas Intersectoriales Parroquiales (MIP), are part of the National Strategy “Ecuador Grows Without Child Malnutrition,” which aims to prevent and reduce chronic child malnutrition across the country.
Between 2022 and September 2025, 669 out of 710 planned MIPs have been established in targeted areas nationwide. The remaining 41 groups are scheduled for activation in the first half of 2026, at which point full coverage is expected.
According to officials, this initiative demonstrates stronger coordination among institutions and improved collaboration at the community level. The working groups are distributed among high-, medium-, and low-priority parishes to ensure focused intervention based on local needs.
“The MIPs are spaces for social participation in health and intersectoral coordination where state institutions, autonomous governments, civil society organizations, representatives of peoples and nationalities, local citizen health committees, and other local actors plan and execute actions to improve health determinants with an emphasis on early childhood,” stated the Ministry.
The mechanism promotes timely delivery of prioritized goods and services such as healthcare, nutrition support, safe drinking water access, education initiatives, and social protection measures. The approach incorporates equality, interculturality, rights-based perspectives, and health promotion throughout its operations.
Oversight for these activities is provided by the Ministry’s departments responsible for Citizen Participation; Nutrition and Healthy Eating; Interculturality; as well as the Ecuador Free from Child Malnutrition Project (PELDI). This structure consolidates the Ministry’s leadership role in coordinating efforts across sectors to address chronic child malnutrition at both national and local levels.
“This progress marks a strategic milestone for the National Government by reflecting effective coordination between central authorities, local entities, and communities. It also reaffirms MSP’s commitment to ensuring comprehensive development from early childhood onward while prioritizing vulnerable populations,” said ministry representatives.
