Staff Reporter ISLAMABAD
The Junaid Family Foundation has signed a landmark Letter of Cooperation (LoC) with the Gates Foundation and UNICEF to strengthen collaboration on the promotion and scale-up of Multiple Micronutrient Supplementation (MMS) for women with a particular focus on maternal and newborn health. Though Pakistan is already a global leader in scaling up MMS, this LoC formalizes the ongoing partnership focused on expanding access to MMS for all pregnant women, strengthening supply chains, supporting research and implementation science, and increasing national awareness of maternal malnutrition. It is estimated 7 million women become pregnant in Pakistan annually.
The joint donation of UNIMMAP MMS from JFF and Kirk Humanitarian has reached nearly 2 million women, yet significant work remains to close the gap and ensure that all women who need this vital supplement have access to it.“We are honored to be working hand in hand with global leaders like the Gates Foundation and UNICEF to champion maternal health in Pakistan. The deep experience they have implementing MMS around the world complements our ability to open doors and navigate networks specific to Pakistan.” said Ansir Junaid, Chairman of the Junaid Family Foundation who recently organized a major conference in Islamabad to promote MMS for women in Pakistan. “This collaboration is rooted in our belief that every mother deserves the nutrition she needs for a healthy pregnancy—and every child deserves a strong start in life.”
He elaborated: “The focus areas of this partnership include advising and collaborating with relevant government authorities to promote evidence-informed policy and decision-making that support MMS for pregnant women across Pakistan at both the federal and provincial levels; offering technical assistance and support in convening meetings of the Strategic and Technical Working Group on MMS to advance implementation, quality assurance, and monitoring and measurement; and supporting initiatives to increase local production, affordability, accessibility, and quality of MMS in partnership with the private sector. “Maternal undernutrition, including deficiencies in essential vitamins and minerals, remains a critical public health issue in Pakistan. MMS has emerged as a globally endorsed solution, proven to reduce low birth weight, stillbirths, and maternal anemia. The collaboration seeks to support Pakistan’s transition from iron-folic acid to MMS as part of its national antenatal care protocols.
”Representatives from all three organizations emphasized the importance of sustained, multi-sectoral efforts, in coordination with Federal, State and Provincial Ministries of Health, to ensure MMS reaches the women who need it most—especially in underserved and high-burden districts.“This is a moment of hope and momentum,” said Jackie Range, Executive Director of JFF.
“We are proud to contribute not only resources but deep, long-term commitment to building systems that uphold maternal nutrition as a right—not a privilege. Our focus on nutrition is not an act of charity — it is a strategic investment. To build healthier communities, fuel stronger economies, and drive lasting change across generations, we must begin with proper nutrition.”
At a recent dinner hosted by JFF in Islamabad, Pakistan, Chairman of JFF Ansir Junaid was joined by Zeina Sifri, Senior Program Officer at Gates, and Abdullah Fadil, UNICEF Country Representative to sign the Letter of Cooperation. This partnership reflects the shared goals of all three organizations to promote health equity, advance sustainable development, and build resilient health systems that center the needs of women and children, Ansir Junaid said.
