Strengthening Maternal Healthcare in Bhutan
Vitamin Angels Collaborates with Government Partners to Support National Scale-Up of MMS for Pregnant and Lactating Women
In 2024, Bhutan became one of the few countries in Asia to integrate Multiple Micronutrient Supplementation (MMS) into its national antenatal care (ANC) and postnatal care (PNC) programs — a significant step forward in maternal and child health. Since then, Vitamin Angels has served as a key partner providing technical support and product to Bhutan’s Ministry of Health (MoH), supporting the provision of United Nations International Multiple Micronutrient Antenatal Preparation (UNIMMAP) MMS for pregnant and lactating women.
Our collaboration to support Bhutan’s scale-up of MMS includes both programmatic and technical assistance to strengthen and monitor implementation efforts nationwide. Vitamin Angels’ Asia Regional team, led by Dr. Ashutosh Mishra, works closely with Bhutanese stakeholders to ensure the program’s successful rollout.
“We are grateful for the technical assistance provided by Vitamin Angels towards advancing maternal nutrition by supporting the national roll out of Multiple Micronutrient Supplementation for pregnant and lactating women in Bhutan,” said Hari Prasad Pokhrel, Nutrition Program Manager for Bhutan’s Ministry of Health.
Last month, in June 2025, representatives from Vitamin Angels’ global and regional teams traveled to Bhutan to engage key partners, assess the progress of MMS implementation, and plan for the next phase of strategic support. This visit marked a critical point in the program’s journey — transitioning from implementation to sustainability and research. Major highlights and themes included:
- High-Level Government Support: The Vitamin Angels team had the honor of meeting with the Honorable Prime Minister of Bhutan, Tshering Tobgay, who reaffirmed the Bhutanese government’s commitment to improving maternal nutrition and expressed gratitude for Vitamin Angels’ continued support.
- Shared Vision for Sustainability: Bhutan’s MoH is actively seeking evidence for inclusion of MMS in the National Essential Medicines List, after which the financing for supplies is guaranteed by the Bhutan Health Trust Fund. These efforts emphasize their strong commitment to sustainable health system improvements backed by evidence-based policies.
- Commitment to Capacity Building: Vitamin Angels reiterated our support for maternal and child health in Bhutan through ongoing in-kind donations of MMS and technical assistance for capacity building and implementation research.
Over three days, the Vitamin Angels delegation held meetings with high-level government officials — including Bhutan’s Prime Minister, MoH leaders, and researchers from Khesar Gyalpo University of Medical Sciences of Bhutan (KGUMSB) and the Centre of Excellence in Nutrition.
The Vitamin Angels team meets with the Honorable Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay of Bhutan.
The itinerary also included visits to major health facilities, including Jigme Dorji Wangchuk National Referral Hospital (JDWNRH), Punakha District Hospital, and Gidakom Hospital. During the visit, Vitamin Angels staff observed MMS implementation at the facility level, reviewed supply chain and distribution mechanisms, and engaged with frontline healthcare workers and national stakeholders.
Vitamin Angels’ team interviewed and observed pregnant women receiving MMS on adherence, satisfaction, and community awareness, with the goals of better understanding project participant experiences and gathering insights to inform future technical support and research. Team members identified key opportunities to strengthen training for health workers to improve engagement and counseling for pregnant women and develop tailored information, education, and communication (ICE) materials to support behavior change.
Dr. Thinley Yangzom, Health of Department for Community Health at JDWNRH and Ms. Karma Dema, Pharmacy Technician at JDWNRH, with Dr. Ashutosh Mishra of Vitamin Angels.
Looking Ahead: Building Evidence for Sustainable Programs
A comprehensive situational assessment of the MMS program is planned for later in 2025 to evaluate the current implementation landscape, identify gaps in training and distribution, and capture community perspectives. Insights from this assessment will inform the co-design of implementation research — in collaboration with the MoH, KGUMSB, and the Centre of Excellence in Nutrition — to develop and test strategies that enhance adherence, effectiveness, and long-term sustainability of MMS delivery.
At Vitamin Angels, we are honored to collaborate with Bhutan’s MoH and our local partners to strengthen maternal healthcare and ensure that all women have access to the essential nutrition needed for a healthy pregnancy.