Tag: malnutrition

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WFP: 3 Million Afghan Kids Will Suffer Malnutrition This Year

The organisation stated that since last year, due to a reduction in foreign aid, the number of malnourished children seeking treatment has increased, reports Asian Lite News

The World Food Programme (WFP) in Afghanistan has warned that this year, up to three million children could suffer from malnutrition under the Taliban regime, Khaama Press news agency reported.

The organisation stated that since last year, due to a reduction in foreign aid, the number of malnourished children seeking treatment has increased.

Khaama Press reported, citing Mona Sheikh, Head of Nutrition at the World Food Programme in Afghanistan who said in a video posted on the organisation’s account on its social media platform X, “We will be able to assist about 1.6 million malnourished children.”

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) previously announced that in 2023, it assisted 715,000 malnourished children in Afghanistan.

According to international organizations, many families in Afghanistan under Taliban control are unable to provide food for their children.

Additionally, reports indicate that since the Taliban took power, Afghanistan has been facing a dire humanitarian crisis, exacerbating the already precarious situation. The lack of stability and access to basic necessities has led to widespread suffering, particularly among vulnerable groups like women and children.

Moreover, the shortfall of funds from international organizations has significantly hindered relief efforts in Afghanistan. This has left millions of people at risk of famine and deprived them of essential humanitarian aid, further worsening the humanitarian situation in the country.

Despite over 450 days passing, universities in Afghanistan remain closed to girls, with no signs of reopening on the horizon, TOLO News reported.

Expressing their frustration, female students highlight the significant delay in their academic progress, urging the Talibani caretaker government to prioritise the reopening of universities this year.

Khadijah, speaking on behalf of many, emphasises, “The education of girls holds immense importance; it reflects the literacy and development of entire families. Neglecting it jeopardises the education and advancement of society as a whole,” as reported by TOLO News.

Echoing these sentiments, Narow pleads, “We implore authorities to unlock the doors of schools and universities for girls, as their education is crucial for building a strong and progressive society.”

Concerns are also voiced by university professors, who fear that the continued closure of universities to girls will hinder the country’s progress. (ANI)

ALSO READ: 80% of Afghans Grapple with Water Scarcity

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-Top News Africa News

700,000 children in Sudan at risk of malnutrition

Catherine Russell, the executive director of UNICEF, echoed Elder’s comments. The “lethal combination of malnutrition, mass displacement, and disease” is quickly growing, she warned in a statement…reports Asian Lite News

At least 700,000 children in Sudan are likely to suffer from the worst form of malnutrition this year, and tens of thousands could die, the United Nations children’s agency has warned.

A 10-month war in Sudan between its armed forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has devastated the country’s infrastructure, prompted warnings of famine and displaced millions of people inside and outside the country.

“The consequences of the past 300 days means that more than 700,000 children are likely to suffer from the deadliest form of malnutrition this year,” James Elder, spokesperson for UNICEF, told a press conference in Geneva on Friday.

“UNICEF won’t be able to treat more than 300,000 of those without improved access and without additional support. In that case, tens of thousands would likely die.”

Elder defined the most dangerous form of malnutrition as severe acute malnutrition, which makes a child more likely to die from diseases such as cholera and malaria. He said 3.5 million children were projected to suffer severe acute malnutrition.

UNICEF provides “ready-to-use therapeutic food”, or RUTF, a life-saving food item that treats severe wasting in children under five years old, to Sudan.

Elder said there had also been a “500 percent increase” in just one year in murders, sexual violence and recruitment of children to fight.

“That equates to terrifying numbers of children killed, raped or recruited. And these numbers are the tip of the iceberg,” he said, reiterating the urgent need for a ceasefire, and for more aid.

Catherine Russell, the executive director of UNICEF, echoed Elder’s comments. The “lethal combination of malnutrition, mass displacement, and disease” is quickly growing, she warned in a statement.

“We need safe, sustained, and unimpeded humanitarian access across conflict lines and across borders – and we need international support to help sustain the essential services and systems that children rely on for survival,” she said.

UNICEF is appealing for $840m to help slightly more than 7.5 million children in Sudan this year, but Elder deplored the lack of funds collected in previous appeals.

“Despite the magnitude of needs, last year, the funding UNICEF sought for nearly three-quarters of children in Sudan was not forthcoming,” Elder said.

The UN on Wednesday urged countries not to forget the civilians caught up in the war in Sudan, appealing for $4.1bn to meet their humanitarian needs and support those who have fled to neighbouring countries.

Half of Sudan’s population – approximately 25 million people – need humanitarian assistance and protection, while more than 1.5 million people have fled to the Central African Republic, Chad, Egypt, Ethiopia and South Sudan, according to the UN.

“The world needs to stop turning a blind eye,” he said. “Where is our collective humanity if we allow this situation to continue.”

ALSO READ-38 people killed in communal clashes in South Sudan

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Africa News

Over 900k children acutely malnourished amid drought in Kenya

children at a school in Mathare slums area, Nairobi, Kenya, April 28, 2022. (Xinhua/Dong Jianghui)

The institution noted that the number of people in need of humanitarian assistance in Kenya currently stands at 4.35 million, a rise from 4.1 million in June…reports Asian Lite News

Nearly 942,000 Kenyan children aged under five years as well as pregnant and lactating mothers are acutely malnourished as drought ravages the country, the National Drought Management Authority (NDMA) said.

NDMA added on Friday in its assessment that some cases of acutely malnourished children have been reported in 23 affected arid and semi-arid areas. The number has risen from 884,000 cases in September.

“Over 134,000 cases of pregnant or lactating women acutely malnourished in need of treatment have also been reported,” said the national disaster authority.

The institution noted that the number of people in need of humanitarian assistance in Kenya currently stands at 4.35 million, a rise from 4.1 million in June.

NDMA added that due to diminished pasture and water resources in most of the arid counties, mortalities across all livestock species namely camels, cattle, goats and sheep have increased.

It said high livestock mortalities have been reported in Samburu, Mandera, Isiolo, Lamu, Marsabit and Garissa counties.

Millions of people across the Horn of Africa are facing starvation and death due to drought, with Kenya, Somalia and Ethiopia being the worst affected.

ALSO READ-Drought to affect 36.1 mn in Horn of Africa

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Food Lite Blogs

Malnutrition and muscle loss

A common misconception is that malnutrition means a person isn’t getting enough calories. But malnutrition can be more than a deficiency in nutrient intake: it can also refer to nutrient excesses or vitamin or mineral imbalances….writes PROF. DR. SALIL BENDRE

Despite the fact that many adults worldwide are living longer, they may not always be doing so in a healthier way. They are unable to enjoy their complete lives as a result. This chart of less-than-optimal health is caused by a number of circumstances. Nutrition, or lack thereof, is one of the most important and evident variables. After all, eating provides energy to all of the body’s cells and helps maintain muscular power.

It seems simple enough to optimise your diet in order to improve your health. Make sure your meals are balanced by using a colourful plate that includes all the necessary dietary groups. But an unexpected fact is that adult malnutrition has only recently come to light as a frequently unrecognised health issue affecting many individuals.

A common misconception is that malnutrition means a person isn’t getting enough calories. But malnutrition can be more than a deficiency in nutrient intake: it can also refer to nutrient excesses or vitamin or mineral imbalances.

“Today, a lot of people in India come under the category of being ‘skinny fat’ – a term that refers to having a relatively high percentage of body fat and a low amount of muscle mass. It occurs when the body doesn’t get the appropriate amounts of macronutrients (protein, carbohydrate, and fat) or micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) that it needs, to function,” says Prof. Dr. Salil Bendre, Head, Pulmonary Medicine, Nanavati Max SuperSpeciality Hospital.

As we become older, muscle mass becomes more crucial for maintaining our general immune defence as well as bodily strength and mobility. However, studies have indicated that adults might begin to lose up to 8% of their muscle mass per decade from the age of 40. That rate might double after the age of 70. This makes it more clear why building muscle is important and why nutrition must come first.

How to avoid muscle loss & protect muscle health

Safeguarding muscle mass can be done with a few simple strategies — mainly focusing on physical activity and proper nutrition. This is especially important as we age.

To preserve muscles:

Engage in regular exercise & test your muscle age: Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity exercise a week and include resistance training to also help maintain muscles and strength. You can test your locomotive ability and find out how good your muscle strength is & know what to do earlier to help prevent and delay muscle loss & overall strength. The good news is that grip strength is an easy way to assess your overall muscular strength – just by squeezing an orange or noticing the firmness of your handshake you can determine your muscle strength. A chair challenge test is also an easy way to test your muscle strength. The time taken to do 5 sit ups on a chair of approx. height of 43cm [1.4ft] in height can tell you about your muscle age.

Consume enough micronutrients: Not only reduced intake of proteins but also micronutrients like selenium, carotenoid, vitamin C, E, calcium, vitamin D etc have been associated with lower muscle strength. Currently, 1 in 3 adults over the age of 50 don’t get enough protein in their diet, that is problematic because protein is a nutrient that supports strong muscles and helps keep cells healthy, fuelled and working at their best, which is important to keeping energy levels up. To amp up protein intake further, add in protein snacks, like one before bed or supplement your diet with nutrition supplements, if needed.

Follow a nutrition-forward diet: Choose a balanced diet full of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, proteins, healthy fats and key vitamins and minerals like calcium and Vitamin D. The key is to choose a variety of nutrient-dense foods across all food groups. Developing healthy eating patterns not only give you energy, they can also help prevent obesity, heart disease, high blood pressure, and type 2 diabetes.

ALSO READ-Advantages of intermittent fasting

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India News

Odisha tribals fight against malnutrition

The district has over 53 per cent tribal population, which is among the top communities that report higher incidences of malnutrition in the state…writes Naba Kishor Pujari

Lima Majhi, 35, proudly surveys her 300 square feet kitchen garden at Sushabhata village in Kandhamal, Odisha. The green patch has 14 varieties of fruits and vegetables such as bitter gourd, beetroot, cucumber, pumpkin, drumstick, tomato, coriander, radish, pointed gourd, brinjal, and chilly.

“I have also planted guava, banana, and papaya trees. It not only gives us more nutrition but we also save money on vegetables,” said Majhi, who belongs to the Kondh tribe.

Many villagers like Majhi in Tumudibandha block were unaware of the nutritional value of fruits and green vegetables. They ate their staple of rice often without any green accompaniment. The hilly terrain of Kandhamal has a good number of drumstick trees, but the tribals did not know that its leaves and fruit can be cooked.

Majhi started planting vegetables and fruits in 2017 after volunteers of Jeebika Suraksha Mancha, a people’s collective working in Kandhamal, educated the villagers about the health benefits of eating green vegetables and fruits and the importance of building a kitchen garden. The nutritional kitchen garden initiative, with the additional support of Noida-based NGO, Atmashakti Trust, is helping rural communities in 267 villages under Kotagada and Tumudibandha blocks of Kandhamal district grow vegetables at home. Until now, they have assisted over 2,120 kitchen gardens take root, each growing around 13 to 17 varieties of vegetables.

Rashmita Patmajhi, 30, weighed only 45 kg two years ago. With a poor haemoglobin count, she used to feel tired all the time. “I built a kitchen garden and also started eating fruits and vegetables. I weigh 49 kgs now and now I know the importance of a nutritious diet.”

In Kandhamal, at least, this knowledge is critical.

The official statistics of the Odisha government in 2018 listed about 3,500 malnutrition deaths in Kandhamal in the past five years. The district has over 53 per cent tribal population, which is among the top communities that report higher incidences of malnutrition in the state.

“Undernutrition is more prevalent among tribals in comparison to other communities. In Odisha, where 37.26 per cent of its population is deprived of nutritious food, there is a stronger need for building kitchen gardens, which will go a long way to secure nutritional status for their families,” added Sameet Panda, convener of Odisha chapter of Right to Food Campaign.

Supplementing support

“Malnutrition is more than lack of food, and tribals are traditionally agrarian communities who grow vegetables and fruits. So, there is no visible hunger among these communities,” said Ruchi Kashyap, Executive Trustee at Atmashakti Trust. “But, they do not know what a varied diet is and what fruits and vegetables will meet their nutritional needs. So, we used a behavioural change communication approach to overcome this challenge. We helped communities know food diversity, the technique to grow a kitchen garden, and avail of government schemes such as Mo Upakari Bagicha, Millets Mission, and Iron Plus Initiative to make this effort sustainable and beneficial,” she said.

The state government too has recognised and supported these kitchen gardens over the years. In 2018, Odisha Livelihoods Mission (OLM), in partnership with Azim Premji Philanthropic Initiatives (APPI), implemented a nutrition project called ‘Mo Upakari Bagicha’ to spread the knowledge of nutritional outcomes from dietary diversity by promoting kitchen gardens in rural households across the state.

In June 2020, OLM converged with MGNREGA to scale up nutritional kitchen gardens in all 314 blocks with an additional budgetary allocation of Rs 500 crore from the Odisha government. The aim was to reach 5 lakh households in the financial year 2020-21 with a focus on Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribes, Below Poverty Level (BPL) households, beneficiaries of rural housing, and small and marginal farmers.

Santosh Kumar Rath, District Project Manager of OLM in Kandhamal said in an effort to reduce undernutrition among children, women of reproductive age groups and adolescent girls, “in the last financial year, we have helped over 24,000 families build kitchen gardens in Kandhamal”.

And there has been some progress in this tribal hinterland which has recorded a significant improvement in malnutrition over recent years.

According to the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5) 2019-21, stunting in Kandhamal has decreased significantly from 38.4 per cent to 34.2 per cent in NFHS-4 (2015-2016); the percentage of underweight children has reduced from 43.1 per cent to 35.40 per cent, and there has been a marginal improvement in the figures on wasting disease but these figures are all still below the state average.

Delinking nutrition and poverty

Odisha is also rated among the top 10 states with a substantial share of the population living in poverty as per the report of NITI Aayog’s National Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) 2021. One in every two people (44.75 per cent) in Kandhamal is below the poverty line.

“Nutritional kitchen gardens can play the role of inflation insulation for them as vegetable prices remain high all through the year,” said Panda.

Kitchen gardens are vital to cater to the villagers’ nutritional needs by providing access to food that is harvested, prepared, and consumed by family members.

Sindhimai Patmajhi, 55, from Badjal village under Jubaguda Gram Panchayat in Kotagarh block, grows papaya, drumstick, banana, lemon, radish, guava, carrot, pineapple, brinjal, beans, cucurbit, cabbage, cauliflower, and beet nutritional kitchen garden. She said her frequent visits to the hospital have reduced drastically in the past two years after eating vegetables every day.

“The members of Jeebika Suraksha Manch explained to us the nutritional value of each fruit and vegetable. They asked us to grow vegetables and fruits so that we readily get the required nutrition in our food,” she said.

ALSO READ-The guardian angels of Odisha’s Gundalba forests

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-Top News Afghanistan Asia News

‘Severe malnutrition hits 4 mn kids in Afghanistan’

The UN delegation warned that at least 18 million Afghans are facing food insecurity and that nine million of them are in dire need of food….reports Asian Lite News

Reena Ghelani , the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) Director in the operations and advocacy division — who led a UN delegation that recently visited Kabul to assess the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan — said that at least four million Afghan children are expected to be affected with malnutrition, of whom 137,000 will lose their life in 2022.

The delegation made the visit to Afghanistan after many Afghan citizens complained about the unfair distribution of aid provided by the UN agencies, TOLOnews reported.

“We report against our target and deliveries, and we need to be out there talking to people more and hearing their complaints — we certainly need to hear if there are problems out there and this is part of the mission that we went on,” Ghelani told TOLOnews in a special interview.

“…I spent most of my time and all of us… talking to Afghan people about those exact issues and hearing from them directly so that we can make sure that we are targeting correctly,” she added.

Economists believe that giving direct cash to the people would help the Afghan economic system.

“If the aid was provided in cash, it would help the value of the Afghan currency and would solve the cash problems in the markets,” said Abdul Naseer Rishtia, a university professor.

Rapid Surge of Measles Rock Afghanistan

“The government should assess the aid provided by the UN. The contracts of the UN organisations should be shared (with the government) and the government must investigate it to see if the aid is provided to the people who deserve it,” said Muzamil Shinwari, an Economist.

The UN delegation warned that at least 18 million Afghans are facing food insecurity and that nine million of them are in dire need of food.

“The time is now. We have no time to wait. We have to get the economy going and we need to give people hope today,” Ghelani said.

With millions of Afghans suffering from several crises that have hit Afghanistan after the fall of the former government, the UK earlier announced that it will co-host a UN conference on the Afghan humanitarian situation.

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-Top News Afghanistan

‘Nearly 10mn Afghan kids in desperate need of humanitarian aid’

“They’re missing life-saving vaccines, including against polio, a disease that can paralyze children for life. Many are so malnourished they lie in hospital beds too weak to grasp an outstretched finger,”said UNICEF Afghanistan Representative ….reports Asian Lite News

There are nearly 10 million children in Afghanistan “in desperate need of humanitarian aid”, said UNICEF Afghanistan Representative, Herve Ludovic De Lys, adding that these children are deprived of their right to a healthy and protected childhood.

“Those least responsible for this crisis, are paying the highest price — including the children killed and injured in a series of atrocities in Kabul since last Thursday”, the senior UN Children’s Fund official told correspondents.

“Again, today, I heard of more unsettling reports – of unaccompanied children across the country…more reports of grave violations, including children being recruited by armed groups…All this in a year in which more than 550 children have been killed, and more than 1400 injured.”

He said that against a backdrop of conflict and insecurity, children are living in communities that are running out of water because of drought.

“They’re missing life-saving vaccines, including against polio, a disease that can paralyze children for life. Many are so malnourished they lie in hospital beds too weak to grasp an outstretched finger,” he said.

“These children are deprived of their right to a healthy and protected childhood”, he added.

Earlier on Monday, a UN shipment carrying lifesaving medical supplies reached Afghanistan by air. It was the first UN shipment since the Taliban takeover on August 15.

Announcing the news, the World Health Organization (WHO) said that the successful airlift meant that it could “partially replenish” health facilities’ reserves and ensure that services can continue, for now.

Some 12.5 metric tonnes of supplies arrived in the northern airport of Mazar-i-Sharif, aboard a plane provided by the Government of Pakistan, UN News reported.

The WHO said that the shipment consisted of enough trauma and emergency health kits to cover the basic health needs of more than 200,000 people, as well as provide 3500 surgical procedures and treat 6500 trauma patients.

The supplies will be delivered immediately to 40 health facilities in 29 provinces across Afghanistan, the UN agency added.

The plane was loaded with the supplies earlier on Monday by WHO’s logistics team at the International Humanitarian City in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

It is the first of three flights planned with Pakistan International Airlines to fill urgent shortages in medicines and medical supplies in Afghanistan.

“The support of the Pakistani people has been timely and life-saving,” said Dr Ahmed Al Mandhari, WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean. While WHO is working with partners to ensure more shipments to the country, the agency said a reliable humanitarian air bridge is urgently required, to scale up the collective humanitarian effort.

Tens of millions of vulnerable Afghans remain in the country and the work of meeting their needs is now just beginning, said the agency adding that the world cannot now divert its attention from the people of Afghanistan at this critical time.

Afghanistan kids

Adding his voice to the appeal, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi has urged the international community to help the many millions in need in Afghanistan and in neighbouring countries.

In an appeal on Monday for long-term solutions for Afghans whose lives have been blighted by 40 years of war, the UN Refugee chief said that although thousands had managed to escape via Kabul airport, “there will still be millions who need the international community to act”.

The UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) and the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC) have called on the Taliban to honour their pledge to protect Afghan women and girls, and to respect and fulfil the human rights enshrined in the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women and the Convention on the Rights of the Child. (ANI)

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