09 Nov 2017

Lack of household food security, environmental health, hygiene and sanitation has resulted in malnutrition becoming a challenge in Boteti area.

A public health specialist, Dr Solomon Tegegne said in an interview with BOPA recently that national target for total malnutrition was less than or equal to three per cent. 

In Boteti, average malnutrition rate in 2016 and part of 2017 ranged between 4.2 per cent and four per cent respectively higher than the national target.

Malnutrition, he said was a significant problem in Boteti particularly among under fives.

The problem needed to be continuously addressed at various levels targeting the common causes of malnutrition, he added.

Dr Tegegne said the higher prevalence rate was also exacerbated by drought seasons observed in the past two years.

He said it was worth noting that some of villages of Boteti like Khwee, Mmeya, Xere, Rakops were more relatively affected than others. 

Malnutrition among pregnant, lactating mothers and children aged below two, he said, had a significant impact.

Dr Tegegne stated that babies less than 2.5kg at birth could be a reflection of maternal nutrition.

Malnutrition of expectant mothers, he said, could result in low body weight of the baby which in turn negatively impacted growth and development of the child.

He indicated that malnutrition could reduce learning ability and school performance whilst Vitamin A deficiency, he added, could cause permanent blindness and reduce immunity to various infections. 

Dr Tegegne stated that malnourished children had increased risk of illness such as infection and deaths, noting that four functional consequences of malnutrition included mortality, illness, and intelligence loss and reduced productivity at a later stage. 

Therefore, he said, it was important to improve nutrition of a pregnant woman, lactating mother and children particularly from zero to 24 months. ENDS