The Ministry of Health has launched the Egg Powder Initiative to address child malnutrition in Uganda. Raular Ahumuza Turinawe, a senior nutritionist from the Ministry of Health, while speaking to journalists in Kampala on Monday, said that according to the Demographic Health Survey, there has been a persistently high rate of malnutrition in the country, including stunting, wasting, and underweight conditions.
Ahumuza highlighted that data on stunting has consistently remained high over the years. Referring to the Uganda Demographic Health Survey, she noted that for the past four surveys, stunting rates have remained persistently high. She added that although there has been a slight decline in stunting rates, the numbers remain significantly high. #
According to statistics, in 2016 Uganda’s malnutrition rate was at 29%, meaning over one in four children were stunted. The 2022 Uganda Demographic Health Survey indicated a stunting rate of 26%, showing only a slight reduction. However, in absolute numbers, the reduction is not significant.
With support from UNICEF, Ahumuza said the Ministry of Health’s stunting reduction campaign—tagged to the Egg Powder Initiative for Child Nutrition—is a national campaign that will begin in the Tooro region, which has the highest stunting rates in the country.
Additionally, she mentioned that malnutrition, stunting, and wasting mainly manifest in children aged 6 to 23 months, where the dietary quality is often not met. She added that 80% of children in Uganda are not receiving the minimum acceptable diet, according to national statistics.
“When we talk about food, it should be both in quantity and quality. So, if you have a good portion of posho with porridge, your stomach may be full, but in terms of nutritional quality, it is lacking,” Ahumuza remarked. In the same vein, the ministry is also introducing intermittent iron-folic acid supplementation for adolescent girls in schools. Under the program, girls will take one tablet per week for the first three months, followed by a three-month break.
Samalie Namukose, the deputy commissioner nutrition from the Ministry of Health, said adolescent girls lose blood every month through menstruation and often become anemic because they do not get the necessary nutrients from the food provided, especially in schools.
Namukose also highlighted that Uganda is struggling to meet global targets for reducing anemia in women of reproductive age. The introduction of iron-folic acid supplementation is one of the interventions included in Uganda’s policies since 2003. Uganda is also facing a high rate of teenage pregnancies, which further complicates the nutritional and health challenges faced by adolescent girls.
The Egg Powder Initiative is a crucial step towards addressing child malnutrition in Uganda. It’s encouraging to see the Ministry of Health and UNICEF collaborating to tackle stunting and wasting, especially in regions like Tooro. However, the persistent high rates of malnutrition highlight the need for more comprehensive and sustainable solutions. The focus on dietary quality, particularly for children aged 6 to 23 months, is a positive move. How can communities be further empowered to ensure the long-term success of such initiatives?