By Robert Nayeja

Nsanje, April 25, Mana: Principal Nutrition, HIV and AIDS Officer for Nsanje, Noza Mpesi, has attributed the rising cases of malnutrition among children in the district to effects of tropical cyclones and dry spells that hit the district last year and this year respectively.

He was speaking at Group Village Head Mnembe in Traditional Authority (TA) Tengani in the district during the launch of a week to disseminate messages to promote good nutrition.

He said the number of malnutrition referrals at the district health facility has risen three times than previous years.

“We could register a single or three referrals a week in our wards at the district hospital but now we have more than 20 referrals in our admission rooms,” he said.

He said a lot of farmers in the district rely on rain fed agriculture but most people's crops were washed away during Tropical Cyclone Freddy which has ignited hunger in the district.

Mpesi said his office is working tirelessly with other partners to contain the current situation which he described as worrisome.

“We have strengthened nutrition community structures and we are encouraging communities to have backyard gardens and also to take six food groups.

“We would like to conduct nutrition assessment to 60,000 children in the district to come up with exact figures for planning purposes,” he said.

He said the Nsanje needs more interventions and investments to contain malnutrition among children as the cyclone devastated almost all nutrition investments like backyard gardens in schools and Community Based Child care Centre’s.

Patience Kazembe an official from FOCECE, an organization that works in civic education and social empowerment in Nsanje, said they are working closely with the District Nutrition Office to improve the nutrition status of people in the district.

She said FOCECE is promoting consumption of diversified foods by promoting backyard gardens in the community.

"We are also distributing sweet potato vines and fruit trees to promote food diversification. We are also promoting modern ways of farming such as climate smart agriculture as one way of building resilience among community members during natural disasters like cyclones and dry spells,” said Kazembe.

Nsanje District Council Chairperson, Mike Kafalachi, said his leadership will ensure continuous support to nutrition interventions as good nutrition status is fundamental to sustainable development.

“People that are malnourished cannot manage to contribute positively to the development of our district. Let us put in place interventions that should help to raise good nutrition levels in the district,” he said.