The United Nations World Food Programme, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Social Services, held a "one thousand days" campaign at Tsumkwe.

The campaign was meant to capacitate community health workers, pregnant and lactating women, and the public on the importance of the "one thousand days" of nutrition.

Malnutrition in Namibia continues to affect children under five, with 24% of them stunted or wasted, indicating that both chronic and acute malnutrition is of high public health significance.

"We will be providing information, education, and counseling on infant nutrition, young child feeding, PMTCT, and healthy eating basics, which will also encompass teaching children using puppets and soft food toys about healthy food and eating, therefore, I urge you all to pay attention and learn. Healthy meals will keep you away from hospitals as they will strengthen your immunity system and protect your body from illnesses," said Gebhardo Tomotheus, Regional Health Director for the Otjozondjupa Region.

Tsumkwe Clinic TB Nurse, Josua Kalembela, also spoke about nutrition for mothers with HIV/AIDS and other infectious diseases.

"We are going to talk about the nutrition that a breastfeeding mother or pregnant mother needs to eat. We can now more clearly focus on a mother who's HIV and TB positive, particularly in Tsumkwe. There's a reason why a positive mother or TB patient needs to eat nutritious food. If the mother is pregnant, whatever she is taking in, she is sharing with the unborn baby. If the mother is breastfeeding, whatever she is eating or drinking, she is sharing it with the baby through breastfeeding. A positive mother who is pregnant or a TB patient who takes ARVs or TB medication means there is an infection in her body, and she needs nutritious food."

In Namibia, infants and young children during the complementary feeding period are particularly vulnerable to undernutrition as well as moderate or severe acute malnutrition due to micronutrient deficiencies.

Their complementary feeds are maize meal or millet-based porridge.

"A child needs to eat at least three times a day. What are some examples of complementary foods? We have soft porridge that we can prepare by mixing it with milk; we also have examples like fruit juice, bread, and yoghurt. We can also use mashed potatoes and add a little oil. I am telling this to the mothers so we can take this seriously and try to feed our kids as we are told about a balanced diet," said Markus Muyenga, a community health worker at Tsumkwe.

Screening of pregnant and lactating mothers as well as children under five were conducted at the event.

Community workers at Tsumkwe Clinic also received utensils and a solar dryer, while pregnant and lactating women received food.

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Photo Credits
WFP Namibia

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Author
Hiskia Filliminu