In a bid to stop millions of people dying and suffering from malnutrition, the World Health Organization has launched a new web-powered initiative that provides guidance on life-saving nutrition interventions.

The WHO e-Library of Evidence for Nutrition Actions (eLENA) was launched during an ongoing regional nutrition meeting held in Sri Lanka from Wednesday to Friday.

"Countries need access to the science and guidance to reduce the needless death and suffering associated with malnutrition. eLENA can greatly improve how countries cope with the health threats posed by malnutrition," said WHO official Ala Alwan.

The online eLENA project assists governments and healthcare providers through prioritizing and presenting the latest advice on tackling the three main forms of malnutrition: undernutrition, vitamin and mineral deficiencies, and overweight and obesity.

"To create eLENA, we have sifted through thousands of pages of scientific evidence and advice to prioritize, justify and better present the kinds of nutrition actions needed to prevent people succumbing to malnutrition," said Francesco Branca, WHO Director of Nutrition for Health and Development.

WHO said the new eLENA tool, describing the effective health interventions needed to tackle malnutrition, is an important component of its global drive to help countries prevent and control malnutrition.

WHO is the key driver of the "Scaling up Nutrition" movement involving multiple United Nations agencies and other key nutrition stakeholders and the movement's target is to help countries improve how they tackle malnutrition and ensure the response includes the agriculture, health, social protection and ensuring food security sectors.