Nutrition for women and children is still bad in Iringa Region

THE status of Nutrition for women and children is still bad in Iringa Region, this according to Tanzania Demographic and Health Survey and Malaria Indicator Survey (TDHS-MIS 2015-2016). 

The study shows also that about 28 percent of pregnant women have anemia, 42% of children are stunted, 13.8 percent have a decrease in weight, and 3.6 percent are thinner and only 7.2 percent are fed on supplements.

This was revealed yesterday by Iringa Regional Commissioner Amina Masenza during the ‘MAMA MSOSI’ Campaign competition in Iringa Region.

It was prepared by Regional office under Nutritional department and USAID Nafaka organized and participated in the event with six (6) fortifying millers attended the event (Tina super sembe, Oscar super sembe, Master super sumbe, K.K milling, Dickens investment and Kandanda milling).

Different prizes were provided to the best winners, Nafaka in collaboration with SANKU offered 225Kgs of maize flour and t-shirts.

The aims of the activity were to exhibit nutrition products, creating awareness for the fortified products, sales and promotion of maize flour and other related food consumption issues

She said that Iringa Region in collaboration with various stakeholders has been taking action to deal with the problem of malnutrition. 

Masenza said that in the effort to combat malnutrition in the region they provide nutrition education at every health centers, and encouraging community use of supplemented nutrients and providing malnutrition treatment.

Other measures include, encouraging communities to devise inappropriate eating habits and pursuing a better lifestyle, mobilizing hygiene, and to encourage pregnant mother to go to clinic having when she discovers that she is pregnant.

“I want the community to realize that the goal of this ‘Mama Msosi’ Nutrition competition is to focus on the community on best nutrition for the family, sanitation and the proper use of alternative energy sources to improve forest resources,” she elaborated.

Masenza noted that ‘Mama Msosi’ Nutrition campaign was one of the ways to improve nutrition for the family and to eliminate the problems caused by nutrition. 

She said, nutrition experts tell us that children who have had the best nutrition services, during the first 1,000 days of their life that begin since the mother gets pregnant until a child undergoing two years of age enjoys lasting benefits throughout her life.

“This is when the baby builds the foundation for body growth and mental development. Unfortunately the effects of childbirth in his physical growth and mental development due to poor nutrition in the first 1,000 days of his life cannot be adjusted for the rest of his life,” Masenza said.

She added that poor nutrition for pregnant women puts them in the environment that can cause premature babies, stillbirth, abortion, bearing infants with big heads and childbirth infections, weakening pregnant women and so often illness, loss of life at a time or after delivery. 

“We also know that other human nutritional effects include goiters, blindness, weakening the body's immune system, obesity, sores in the mouth and gum bleeding,” Masenza said.

The Fifth Phase Government recognizes the importance of investing in Nutrition issues as one strategy for achieving the Government's goal of achieving the medium INCOME economy and industry by 2025. 

The UN Council set the resolution that between 2016 and 2025 is the year of "Taking Action in Nutrition Implementation - Decade of Action on Nutrition". 

So, she made call to the Iringa Region people to support the efforts made by the government and stakeholders in the fight against the malnutrition problem. 

On other hand, Iringa Regional Commissioner Amina Masenza has hailed the maize fortification program in Iringa and said food supplements are one of the most effective ways to improve nutrition and eliminate problems associated with poor nutrition.

Feed the Future Tanzania Nafaka in collaboration with the government of Tanzania has launched maize fortification program in Iringa recently.

However, Tanzania has introduced a mandatory food fortification programme to tackle the country’s high rates of under nutrition.