Mothers in traditional authorities (T/As) Nkaya and Phimbi in Balaka District have expressed satisfaction with Save the Children’s nutrition intervention targeting under-five children in the district.
Under the European Union-funded Echo Malawi Drought Response Project, Save the Children in March this year conducted nutrition screening among 9 432 under-five children.
The exercise identified 589 children at risk of malnutrition and 349 with acute malnutrition (wasting).
Destiny, was one of the children diagnosed with acute malnutrition and was referred to Utale II Health Centre.
His mother Patricia Machado from T/A Nkaya said in an
interview on Friday that her one-year-and-seven-month old son weighed five kilogrammes (kg) and his upper arm circumference measured 11.9 centimetres (cm).
“He was given food
supplement called chiponde to improve his condition. He now weighs 7.5kg and his upper arm circumference is 12.4cm,” she said.
Utale II Health Centre in-
charge Pachalo Makanjira said the mass screening helped the facility reach out to children in need of assistance.
“As of now, 31 children are under outpatient therapeutic programme and 93 are under supplementary food programme,” he said.
Balaka district principal nutrition, HIV and Aids officer Madalitso Mwenemurupa said the district’s stunting prevalence rate has declined from 32.6 percent to 33.7 percent against the national prevalence rate of 38 percent.
“We thank partners such as Save the Children for helping us close the gap,” she said.
Save the Children senior technical adviser on health and nutrition Phindile Lupafya said they conducted the screening with a consortium of partners and government officers to identify pregnant and breastfeeding mothers and under-five children at risk of malnutrition or with acute malnutrition for support
