Feature-Impacts of Food deficiency among adolescents in Mongu
According to
Rodgers Fyabipa
Feature-Impacts of Food deficiency among adolescents in Mongu
Mongu January 04/2018-ZANIS--- A child under the age of five (5) wearing an old face and sickle like legs is not a strange sight in most shanty compounds in Mongu district of Western Province.
Lactating and breastfeeding mothers look at the bulging bellies of their children hopelessly not knowing what to do for the restoration of their toddler’s conditions is a common scenario in the district.
But how is this misfortune caused, is it caused by intricate components in human body’s functions? No, it is due to insufficient intake of food supplements by the child.
Almost 65 percent of children in Mongu District of Western are said to be experiencing stunted growth due to poor nutrition.
Scaling –Up Nutrition (SUN) Provincial Coordinator Mundia Mwangala bemoans low opportunity priority of adolescent participations in nutrition programmes in Mongu.
Mr. Mwangala said there was the need for improving food security through increased household food production in the province if Zambia was to achieve its vision of attaining middle income status by 2030.
He explained that proper nutrition plays a vital role in the early stages of the development of a child hence the need for parents and guardians to feed their infants in order to avert the scourge of malnutrition.
He pointed out that malnutrition can affect the intellectual growth of a child resulting into retardation of socio-economic development of the country.
Malnutrition does not affect only children under the age of five but also affects 10% of reproductive women between the age of 15-49, and this indicator shows that a malnourished mother is more likely to give birth to an underweight babies hence links the chain of malnutrition circle for the future generation.
The Nutrition Provincial Coordinator said stunting in the first 1000 critical days represents a fundamental potential of human growth hence the need for all stakeholders involved to take keen interest in combating malnutrition.
.Mr. Mwangala said Zambia is one of the countries in the Sub-Saharan region with the highest number of malnourished children adding that Western Province was at 36%.
And speaking earlier, Adolescent Reproductive Health Advocates (ARHA) chief executive Officer Cassandra Matale explained that high illiteracy levels among pregnant and lactating women is one of the factors contributing to babies being born underweight.
Ms. Matale has since asked the ministry of health to widen its networks in sensitizing expectant mothers on the danger of food deficiency for their unborn babies.
She noted that inadequate trained nutritionists in the province has contributed to the high prevalence of malnutrition affecting over 50 percent of children under the age of five.
And the Village of Hope Clinic Head of Department Dr. Nilene Van Velden disclosed that the institution is accommodating over 600 vulnerable children who are provided with various food supplements.
Dr. Velden bemoaned the high number of street children in the province and called for urgent action in redressing the situation.
She noted that much as breastfeeding mothers fail to appreciate the effect of malnutrition would they improve on the diet of their babies.
Dr. Velden saw the need for expecting mothers to be taught the right food to ingest in order for them to give birth to well-nourished off springs.
Meanwhile Mongu Health Nutritionist Stali Mwanamambo said her institution has embarked on aggressive training of over 70 community health workers in five health facilities on the importance of taking Folic Drugs among expectant mothers.
Mongu District Fisheries Officer Numel Phiri has challenged all impeccable partners to work in collaboration with the department of fisheries in scaling up nutrition through crop diversification.
Mr Phiri says the department is carrying-out sensitization among the women folk on the need for them to have fish ponds which can greatly help in fostering the nutritional status of their families.
ZANIS/END/RF……………………………………DRY.
Rodgers Fyabipa
Feature-Impacts of Food deficiency among adolescents in Mongu
Mongu January 04/2018-ZANIS--- A child under the age of five (5) wearing an old face and sickle like legs is not a strange sight in most shanty compounds in Mongu district of Western Province.
Lactating and breastfeeding mothers look at the bulging bellies of their children hopelessly not knowing what to do for the restoration of their toddler’s conditions is a common scenario in the district.
But how is this misfortune caused, is it caused by intricate components in human body’s functions? No, it is due to insufficient intake of food supplements by the child.
Almost 65 percent of children in Mongu District of Western are said to be experiencing stunted growth due to poor nutrition.
Scaling –Up Nutrition (SUN) Provincial Coordinator Mundia Mwangala bemoans low opportunity priority of adolescent participations in nutrition programmes in Mongu.
Mr. Mwangala said there was the need for improving food security through increased household food production in the province if Zambia was to achieve its vision of attaining middle income status by 2030.
He explained that proper nutrition plays a vital role in the early stages of the development of a child hence the need for parents and guardians to feed their infants in order to avert the scourge of malnutrition.
He pointed out that malnutrition can affect the intellectual growth of a child resulting into retardation of socio-economic development of the country.
Malnutrition does not affect only children under the age of five but also affects 10% of reproductive women between the age of 15-49, and this indicator shows that a malnourished mother is more likely to give birth to an underweight babies hence links the chain of malnutrition circle for the future generation.
The Nutrition Provincial Coordinator said stunting in the first 1000 critical days represents a fundamental potential of human growth hence the need for all stakeholders involved to take keen interest in combating malnutrition.
.Mr. Mwangala said Zambia is one of the countries in the Sub-Saharan region with the highest number of malnourished children adding that Western Province was at 36%.
And speaking earlier, Adolescent Reproductive Health Advocates (ARHA) chief executive Officer Cassandra Matale explained that high illiteracy levels among pregnant and lactating women is one of the factors contributing to babies being born underweight.
Ms. Matale has since asked the ministry of health to widen its networks in sensitizing expectant mothers on the danger of food deficiency for their unborn babies.
She noted that inadequate trained nutritionists in the province has contributed to the high prevalence of malnutrition affecting over 50 percent of children under the age of five.
And the Village of Hope Clinic Head of Department Dr. Nilene Van Velden disclosed that the institution is accommodating over 600 vulnerable children who are provided with various food supplements.
Dr. Velden bemoaned the high number of street children in the province and called for urgent action in redressing the situation.
She noted that much as breastfeeding mothers fail to appreciate the effect of malnutrition would they improve on the diet of their babies.
Dr. Velden saw the need for expecting mothers to be taught the right food to ingest in order for them to give birth to well-nourished off springs.
Meanwhile Mongu Health Nutritionist Stali Mwanamambo said her institution has embarked on aggressive training of over 70 community health workers in five health facilities on the importance of taking Folic Drugs among expectant mothers.
Mongu District Fisheries Officer Numel Phiri has challenged all impeccable partners to work in collaboration with the department of fisheries in scaling up nutrition through crop diversification.
Mr Phiri says the department is carrying-out sensitization among the women folk on the need for them to have fish ponds which can greatly help in fostering the nutritional status of their families.
ZANIS/END/RF……………………………………DRY.