Malnutrition kills 63 children in Salima
Sixty-three under-five children died due to malnutrition in Salima in the 2017/18 financial year ended on June 30, according to a report.
The annual report on nutrition interventions was presented during a District Nutrition Coordinating Committee meeting on Wednesday.
It showed that the figure is higher than that of the preceeding financial year, which was at 35.
Speaking on the sidelines of the meeting, Salima District Hospital nutrition coordinator Joseph Chizeze said the cases are within the death rate of below 10 percent of all reported cases recommended by World Health Organisation (WHO).
He said: “Our quality assurance team will meet to analyse the performance and make recommendations on how to address the situation,” he said.
“As of now, the main challenges include people’s reluctance to seek quality health services and long distance to health facilities.”
Besides government, the district has over five non-governmental organisations (NGOs) implementing nutrition- related interventions, including Care Malawi, Feed the Children, Catholic Health Commission, World Vision Malawi and World Relief.
