‘Nutrition, health vital for economic development’

Government says the country’s economic status can be improved if nutrition and health issues would receive necessary attention.

Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Gender, Women and Social Welfare Mary Shaba said this in Salima on Monday when she opened a week-long training aimed at developing a training manual on nutrition and health for Community Saving Programme (Comsip) members across the country under Masaf 4.

Shaba said issues of nutrition and health are integral to national development.

“It is a known fact that well nourished and health individuals, families and communities are the ones that can bring development to their areas and country,” said Shaba.

According to Shawa, the ministry developed gender and community development policies which highlight issues of nutrition and health at community level.

Shawa asked Comsip to continue making the literacy programmes as this will help to ensure that the training and the IEC materials provided to the members are understood and put into practice.

Comsip chief executive officer Tenneson Gondwe hailed government for its help towards the development of the training manual.