Washington — The Junaid Family Foundation (JFF) has signed a landmark Letter of Cooperation with the Gates Foundation and UNICEF to enhance efforts promoting Multiple Micronutrient Supplementation (MMS) for women across Pakistan, with a strong focus on improving maternal and newborn health outcomes.
Pakistan, already recognized globally for advancing MMS, will now benefit from this formalized partnership aimed at expanding access to MMS for pregnant women, strengthening supply chains, supporting research, and raising national awareness about maternal malnutrition. Approximately seven million women become pregnant in Pakistan each year, underscoring the critical need for such interventions.
To date, a joint donation of UNIMMAP MMS from JFF and Kirk Humanitarian has reached nearly two million women, yet significant efforts remain to ensure universal coverage.
Ansir Junaid, Chairman of the Junaid Family Foundation, emphasized the significance of collaborating with global leaders like the Gates Foundation and UNICEF. “Every mother deserves the nutrition she needs for a healthy pregnancy—and every child deserves a strong start in life,” he said. Junaid highlighted the partnership’s focus on advising government bodies to promote evidence-based policies, supporting technical working groups, and advancing local MMS production in partnership with the private sector.
Maternal undernutrition, including vitamin and mineral deficiencies, remains a pressing public health issue in Pakistan. MMS has been proven globally to reduce risks such as low birth weight, stillbirths, and maternal anemia. The collaboration supports Pakistan’s transition from iron-folic acid supplements to MMS within national antenatal care protocols.
Representatives from all three organizations stressed the importance of coordinated, multi-sector efforts involving federal, state, and provincial health ministries to reach women in underserved and high-burden areas.
Jackie Range, Executive Director of JFF, described this initiative as “a moment of hope and momentum,” calling maternal nutrition a strategic investment critical to building healthier communities and stronger economies.
The partnership was formalized at a recent Islamabad event, where JFF Chairman Ansir Junaid, Gates Foundation Senior Program Officer Zeina Sifri, and UNICEF Country Representative Abdullah Fadil signed the Letter of Cooperation.
Together, these organizations aim to promote health equity, sustainable development, and resilient health systems centered on the needs of women and children in Pakistan.
The Gates Foundation is a global nonprofit dedicated to fighting poverty and disease through innovative, data-driven solutions. JFF operates both in Cleveland, Ohio, and Pakistan, focusing on healthcare, education, equity, and civic engagement to break cycles of poverty. It currently supports the largest MMS program in Pakistan.