{"id":987780462,"date":"2025-08-09T11:38:23","date_gmt":"2025-08-09T10:38:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/p4h.world\/?post_type=documents&p=987780462"},"modified":"2025-08-09T11:38:39","modified_gmt":"2025-08-09T10:38:39","slug":"a-diagonal-approach-to-integrating-nutrition-into-health-systems-opportunities-challenges-and-the-way-forward","status":"publish","type":"documents","link":"https:\/\/p4h.world\/en\/documents\/a-diagonal-approach-to-integrating-nutrition-into-health-systems-opportunities-challenges-and-the-way-forward\/","title":{"rendered":"A \u201cDiagonal\u201d Approach to Integrating Nutrition into Health Systems: Opportunities, Challenges, and the Way Forward"},"content":{"rendered":"

[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”!!! PLEASE DO NOT EDIT !!!” _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row admin_label=”!!! PLEASE DO NOT EDIT !!!” _builder_version=”4.16″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text admin_label=”TO BE EDITED – TEXT ” _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”10px||||false|false” custom_padding=”||||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n

This post was first published by the Center for Global Development on 19 November, 2024.<\/strong><\/p>\n

[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label=”TO BE EDITED – TEXT ” _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”||5px||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n

\n
\u00a0<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n

Despite decades of global efforts, nutrition remains underprioritized, siloed, and poorly integrated within health systems and universal health coverage (UHC) efforts. This persistent challenge occurs against a backdrop of health and development financing at an inflection, where there is growing recognition to rethink how nutrition-specific interventions are delivered and financed. The Global Compact for Nutrition Integration launched at the 2025 Nutrition for Growth Summit signaled strong political commitment to addressing these systemic disparities, while the operationalization requires concrete delivery pathways with greater attention to evidence-based implementation strategies.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label=”TO BE EDITED – TEXT -” _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”||1em||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n

\n
\n

This paper explores delivery approaches for nutrition-specific interventions, drawing from country and donor experiences across the health sector. Vertical approaches, while more direct in achieving specific outcomes, are often supported by off-budget funding and frequently result in fragmented delivery through parallel systems. Conversely, horizontal approaches are typically on-budget and systems-oriented but may lack specificity and accountability for nutrition outcomes. \u201cDiagonal\u201d approaches\u2014as one strategy to achieve integration\u2014offer a potential bridge by embedding high-impact nutrition interventions into health system strengthening efforts with clear outcome measures and accountability mechanisms.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text quote_border_color=”#EA3A32″ admin_label=”blockquote” _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” quote_font=”Oswald|||on|||||” quote_text_color=”#5EAABC” quote_font_size=”26px” quote_line_height=”1.3em” header_2_text_color=”#5EAABC” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n

\n

Diagonal approaches leverage strategic overlaps across four key pathways: population targets, health system resources, service delivery platforms, and financing vehicles to maximize synergies between nutrition and broader health system goals.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label=”TO BE EDITED – TEXT -” _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”||1.5em||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n

While it offers conceptual strength and demonstrated applications across sectors, evidence in nutrition remains relatively underexplored. Realizing the opportunities to improve resource efficiency and enhance sustainable impact through government ownership will require strong governance, aligned policy, robust financing arrangements, context-specific adaptation, and appropriate accountability systems.<\/p>\n

[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label=”TO BE EDITED – TEXT -” _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”||1.5em||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”]To be characterized as diagonal, an approach to health investment must not only involve the integration of interventions into health systems but should incorporate elements that strengthen the systems while achieving health-specific outcomes. Elements that comprise a diagonal approach may include supply chains, strategies to generate demand for services, a skilled workforce, governance and accountability mechanisms, financing models, integrated health information systems, and delivery platforms. While evidence of its effectiveness varies across contexts, the diagonal approach represents a promising route.[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label=”Disclaimer” _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”||||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n

DISCLAIMER<\/h5>\n

CGD blog posts reflect the views of the authors, drawing on prior research and experience in their areas of expertise. CGD is a nonpartisan, independent organization and does not take institutional positions.<\/p>\n

[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

This post was first published by the Center for Global Development on 19 November, 2024. \u00a0 Despite decades of global efforts, nutrition remains underprioritized, siloed, and poorly integrated within health systems and universal health coverage (UHC) efforts. This persistent challenge occurs against a backdrop of health and development financing at an inflection, where there is…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":51,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":""},"categories":[],"tags":[117,3045,3046],"document_type":[],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/p4h.world\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/documents\/987780462"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/p4h.world\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/documents"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/p4h.world\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/documents"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/p4h.world\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/51"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/p4h.world\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=987780462"}],"version-history":[{"count":34,"href":"https:\/\/p4h.world\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/documents\/987780462\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":987780519,"href":"https:\/\/p4h.world\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/documents\/987780462\/revisions\/987780519"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/p4h.world\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=987780462"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/p4h.world\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=987780462"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/p4h.world\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=987780462"},{"taxonomy":"document_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/p4h.world\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document_type?post=987780462"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}