On 24 April 2026, the Ifakara Health Institute was represented by Social Scientist Dr. Sally Mtenga at a national stakeholder workshop convened to review the draft Tanzania National Nutrient Profile Model (TzNPM) Guideline, organized by the Ministry of Health in collaboration with partners under the Global Regulatory & Fiscal Capacity Building Program (RECAP). The one-day meeting was held in Dar es Salaam.

Participants included representatives from the Ministry of Health (Mainland and Zanzibar), United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), World Health Organization (WHO), Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Tanzania Women Lawyers Association (TAWLA), as well as academia, research institutions, and civil society organizations.

The workshop was part of an ongoing initiative to finalize the Nutrition Profile Model (NPF)that brought together biomedical engineers, nutrition experts, policymakers, and implementing partners to provide technical input on the proposed framework. It forms part of ongoing efforts to strengthen regulatory systems that promote healthier diets and reduce the burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs).

The draft guideline introduces a standardized approach to classifying foods based on nutrient thresholds associated with increased NCD risk, particularly sugar, fats, and salt. Once finalized, it is expected to guide policy decisions, strengthen consumer protection, and inform interventions aimed at improving population health outcomes.

Representing Ifakara, Dr. Mtenga contributed insights, emphasizing the importance of grounding food dietary regulatory approaches in real-world and culturally context-specific practices and the broader social realities that influence food choices and health behaviours. She was impressed to see how significant the IHI policy review work has been in guiding health food initiatives in the country. This work is available online at: https://ihi.or.tz/media/List_and_report/Tanzania_Healthy_Food_Environment_Policy_Index_-_FOOD_EPI_-_Evidence_Pack.pdf

The workshop provided a platform for stakeholders to critically review the draft guideline and propose refinements ahead of its finalization. Ifakara Health Institute continues to support national efforts to generate evidence and inform policies addressing pressing public health challenges, including the growing burden of NCDs in Tanzania.