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Curtesy Photo of Malnurished child with the mother during screening for Malnutrition By Onzoma Albert Arua City Ayivu Division in Arua City, is receiving significant increase in malnutrition cases among children, especially at health centers bordering the Demo
Curtesy Photo of Malnurished child with the mother during screening for Malnutrition
By Onzoma Albert
Arua City
Ayivu Division in Arua City, is receiving significant increase in malnutrition cases among children, especially at health centers bordering the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The primary causes identified include high rates of teenage pregnancy, school dropouts, single parenting and inadequate diets at home.
These factors contribute to children being deprived of proper nutrition and care, with some young mothers neglecting their children’s health, hygiene and breastfeeding practices, including weaning before six months, which hampers optimal growth.
Midali Andama, the Nutrition Focal Person of Ayivu Division, confirmed the situation to Radio Pacis during a visit to the mentioned health centers.
“The situation of malnutrition in Ayivu Division is not good, given the fact that we receive many malnutrition cases among children across all the health facilities across Ayivu division most especially the health facilities bordering Democratic Republic of Congo.
“Starting from Aiivuni, Oje Mission and Pajulu Health Center IIIs including Adumi health center IV, these health centers being along the borders receive overwhelming number of malnourished children. So, the situation is not good for us as Ayivu division and Arua city as a whole” he said.
Many health workers at this facilities observe that many children suffer because their parents lack knowledge about balanced feeding, and food scarcity is prevalent because women often sell much of the household food items, leaving children with insufficient nutrition. Additionally, some children are left under the care of their peers, further jeopardizing their health.
Andama, further outlined some of the major contributing factors leading the growing number of malnutrition cases.
“Malnutrition is caused by lack of food but there are many associated factors related to it. The prominent factor we have observed is that many of the children are left under the care of their grandmothers because many of them are born by teenagers who cannot take care of them, who are unable to feed themselves with children and many of the cases are where the fathers of the children cannot stay with the teenage mothers” he added.
The situation is compounded by socio-economic challenges intensified during the COVID-19 pandemic, which disrupted livelihoods, making it difficult for teenage mothers to access adequate diets and healthcare services.
The division’s health workers are calling for increased government intervention, including community awareness programs, education on nutrition and support for teenage mothers.
They advocate for strategies that empower families to grow their own food, address youth idleness and improve financial literacy among young mothers, thereby reducing malnutrition.
Health centers such as Aiivuni Health Center III, Oje Mission Health Center III, Adumi Health Center IV and Pajulu Health Center III, all in Ayivu West Constituency have registered a growing number of malnutrition cases, with over 124 cases reported in the last financial year.
The report underscores the urgent need for multi-sectoral approaches to tackle the root causes of malnutrition, improve food security, and ensure better health outcomes for children in Ayivu Division amid ongoing economic and social challenges.