The Ministry of Public Health (MSP) has acquired over 25 million iron and folic acid tablets, investing $1.5 million through the Ecuador Free from Child Malnutrition Project (PELDI). This initiative aims to improve maternal and child health and support interventions to reduce anemia and chronic child malnutrition in Ecuador.
More than 200,000 pregnant women who receive care at primary health facilities across the country will benefit from this purchase. From their first prenatal checkup, expectant mothers are provided with iron and folic acid supplements. These supplements are intended to support both maternal and infant well-being, promote healthy growth, and help prevent complications during pregnancy and childbirth. Iron helps prevent anemia, while folic acid is essential for the baby’s development in early stages of pregnancy.
Paoly Alomoto, manager of the Ecuador Free from Child Malnutrition Project, stated: “These supplements represent a fundamental help so that mothers can have safer pregnancies and their children come into the world with better opportunities. Each tablet contributes to girls and boys growing up healthy from the beginning of life.”
Distribution of these micronutrient supplements will be based on the needs of health establishments, ensuring supply for a period of 12 months in all nine zonal coordinations nationwide.
By December 2025, MSP had provided care to more than 214,002 pregnant women at national health facilities, representing an 87% coverage rate for prenatal care. All received services included in a prioritized package aimed at preventing and reducing chronic child malnutrition among children under two years old.
Through these efforts as part of the National Strategy “Ecuador Grows Without Child Malnutrition,” MSP continues its commitment to protecting pregnant women, strengthening maternal-child health, and ensuring that children grow up healthy with greater opportunities.
