Health officials in Kamwenge District are raising alarms over a worsening malnutrition crisis, despite ongoing efforts by UNICEF, supported by UKAID.
Dr. Evan Mujuni, the medical superintendent of Rukunyu General Hospital, revealed that the problem has even extended to mothers, with an alarming number of preterm births. He noted that 5% of the babies born each month at the hospital are preterm, a statistic linked to malnutrition.
On a monthly basis, the hospital admits between 60 and 90 children suffering from malnutrition, out of approximately 3,000 patients seen. More than 200 of these patients report malnutrition, primarily from the sun counties of Kyakatwire in Kyenjojo District, Nkoma, Kiziba, and Busiriba in Kamwenge District, as well as Busiriba in Kitagwenda District.
Catherine Ntabadde, a communications specialist at UNICEF Uganda, speaking during a southwestern media field visit on UK government-supported nutrition activities, attributed the rise in malnutrition to several factors. These include families selling off their food supplies and leaving their children without adequate nutrition, as well as a lack of balanced diets among many households.
The situation calls for increased community awareness and targeted interventions to address the root causes of malnutrition, ensuring that families, especially children, have access to the essential nutrients needed for healthy growth and development.
Story by Aggrey Twesigye
