With over 16,000 families in Rwanda affected by malnutrition, the government has set strategies to eliminate malnutrition in a period of six months.
Medical experts say it takes at least 28 days for a malnourished child to regain his health.
The world has 143 million children under the age of five that are underweight due to malnutrition. One quarter of these live in Africa.
The biggest numbers of victims of malnutrition today are mostly women breast feeding, pregnant and children under the age of five.
Malnutrition is commonly among people suffering from mental retardation, low mortality rates of women in maternity and people having difficulties treating diseases such as HIV and Malaria.
The Prime Minister Pierre Damien Habumuremyi launched the national anti malnutrition campaign by distributing milk to children on the 29th January 2012.
Government officials argue that the problem in Rwanda is not the lack of food but the lack of proper distribution. Rural Rwandans have not grasped the knowledge of how they can live healthy through a well balanced diet.
Arthur Asiimwe, The director-general in charge of communication at the Rwanda Biomedical Center told IGIHE.com that the plan will involve regular procurement of nutrition commodities and identification of undernourished women both pregnant and breast feeding and all children under the age of five.
The “Akarima K’Igikoni” which is an established vegetable garden will be promoted as well as the provision of cows to households with extreme malnourished children in districts that have the highest level of malnutrition.
“Organized trained staff will go to different rural areas where women will be taught how to cook healthy meals with foods such as sweet potatoes, soya, groundnuts, mushrooms, and other micronutrient foods making a balanced diet needed and we will also teach people poultry farming.”
“Adequate nutrition and food are essential for the physical, mental and emotional development of children as well as adults for food is a universal right” said Asiimwe.
The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health Dr Uzziel Ndagijimana recently told press that malnutrition is still a big problem to the development of the country. “The country is progressing in various domains but malnutrition is still a serious challenge.”
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