BY DRAXON MALOYA.
Malawi (News of The South) – The Unicef led program aimed at dealing with malnutrition to children under the age of five, adolescent girls and mothers is said to be yielding positive results in many parts of the country.
A media field visit to some program sites in Nkhatabay District a few days ago was organized where Unicef Malawi, government partners and local volunteers showcased how they are fighting malnutrition in the community using micronutrient powder locally known as Ndisakanizeni.
The Unicef communications officer Rebecca Phwitiko expressed the need for breast feeding mothers to supplement their baby feeding with the supplement powder so as to ensure that malnutrition is completely eradicated.
“Unicef is supporting Government of Malawi in its nutrition program to ensure that children have the appropriate food by supplying micronutrient powder in 14 districts which contains the minimum acceptable diet to the under five children.
“The project is very successful and we are helping mothers because breast feeding alone is not enough when children reach six months of age, so we have to fight against the stunting growth which has been one of the challenges affecting child growth mainly in the remote areas,” Phwitiko said.
The Chief Nutritionist in the Ministry of Health, Frank Msiska appreciated the initiative taken by Unicef saying the program is yielding positive results but was quick to point out that the program met some challenges to do with the misconceptions about the powder.
“The powder is a software in this program and we needed the hardware part of it if we are to get lead of some of the misconceptions which hindered the primary stage of this micronutrient powder distribution to the beneficiaries,” Msiska said.
One of the beneficiaries King Chiumia described the micronutrient powder (Ndisakanizeni) as major food component which has helped towards the survival of his two year old son whose mother was critically ill just after giving birth.
An estimated 37% of Malawi children under the age of five are malnourished, with funding from various donors including the German Government, DIFD, USAID and Unicef supports the Government of Malawi to carry out quality nutrition interventions to ensure that mothers and children receive lifesaving nutrition interventions.
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