Alliance calls for speedy Nutrition Act formulation

Members of the Civil Society Nutrition Alliance (Csona) have called for the speedy formulation of the Nutrition Act which is key in curbing under-nutrition in the country.

The alliance’s campaign officer Joseph Gausi said Malawi loses about 10.4 percent of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) annually through efforts to help combat effects of malnutrition.

 “What we are now saying is that not only can having the Act in place help minimise these losses in GDP, it can also help consolidate the existing policy which remains ‘toothless’ in the absence of a corresponding Act,” he said.

Gausi was speaking on Thursday during the alliance’s first quarterly stakeholders’ meeting held at Bingu International Convention Centre in Lilongwe.

Meanwhile, Link for Citizen Empowerment and Development, popularly known as The Link, has commended the draft Bill, saying it has good intentions to promote nutrition education, school feeding programme and introduce the Nutrition Fund and the National Nutrition Council.

However, The Link executive director Jephter Mwanza warned that sustainability in the sector can only be attained by marrying various related public social support programmes.

“We have in mind the Public Works Programme and the School Feeding Programme where we feel they are not sustainable and their impact is usually understated.

“While the two can help boost the national economy, they can also boost quality service delivery in the health and education sectors, areas that usually are found wanting in that regard,” he said.

Government is formulating the Act called the Food and Nutrition Bill to promote nutrition in the country.  n