SIX regions with highest level of malnutrition were yesterday directed to immediately work out strategies to address the problem that affects mostly children.
The regions are Dodoma, Morogoro,
Manyara, Mbeya, Iringa and Songwe. Deputy Permanent Secretary in the
President’s Office, Regional Administration and Local Government, Bernad
Makali, said the universally accepted nutrition deficiency rate is
below 20 percent, noting however that the rates in the six regions are
above the benchmark.
Mr Makali, speaking here during a
special event to assess the state of nutrition in the six regions,
affirmed that from 2010 when the last evaluation was done to improve the
nutrition status in the regions, only Dodoma has slightly improved
while the others have stagnated.
The deputy PS said Dodoma region managed
to lower the rate of malnutrition by 19 per cent from 56 per cent to 37
per cent within five years. He gave reasons behind the poor nutrition
in the regions as poor feeding, poverty, improper sanitation of
environments and bad customs and societal taboos.
He said the consequences of malnutrition
include low rate of mental capability at schools and in handling life
issues, work inefficiency resulting to poor economy and weak body
immunity.
Mr Makali directed all executives at
local authorities to design plans to improve feeding at their regions
and submit them to his office as early as possible, directing all
District Executives Directors and District Administrative Secretaries to
supervise the exercise.
Save for the arid Dodoma region, Mr
Makali said Mbeya, Songwe, Iringa, Morogoro and Manyara regions are
endowed with plenty of foods, challenging societies to change mindsets
towards proper feeding habits.
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