Within the framework of the thematic area 3 on Maternal, New-born and Child Health and Nutrition of the OIC Strategic Health Programme of Action 2014-2023 (OIC-SHPA); SESRIC collaborated with the Yükseliş Economic and Strategic Research Foundation (YİSAV) and the Ministry of Health of Turkey (MoH) for the organisation of the “5^th Congress on the Mother and Child Nutrition in the First 1000 Days” on 19-22 March 2017 in Ankara, Turkey.

This four-day congress included several courses as well as oral, case and poster presentations aiming to raise awareness on the importance of a proper nutrition in the first 1000 days of life and address maternal and infant health related issues such as malnutrition, anaemia, psychiatric disorders, deterioration of physical, cerebral and metabolic functions, and diseases prevention. The congress was attended by representatives of ministries of health, gynaecologists and obstetricians, paediatricians, family physicians, public health experts, nutrition specialists, and related government agencies and NGOs from OIC member states.