BY NDUMBE BELL GASTON IN DOUALA
Out of the world’s mortality rate total of 9 million under 5 years, 3-5 millions die of malnutrition, states the Nestle Nutrition Institute for Africa. The deaths are also prevalent in Cameroon. In order to decimate malnutrition-related infant mortality, the Nestlé Nutrition Institute for Africa has entered into partnership with the Ministry of Public Health in Cameroon, to organise workshops and seminars to sensitise on the issue, to further educate professionals on malnutrition issues and to train others in the field.
According to statistics 32% of the population suffers from malnutrition out of which 13% does so severely, especially in regions like Adamawa, North and Extreme North. In the Eastern region, 21.1% of those children under 5 suffer from staggering insufficiencies and 35.8% are victimised by retarded growth. These are the conditions which last on the victims until their adulthood.
These conditions are frequently reported, say hospital officials of the most affected regions like Bertoua. They say they receive tens of cases every month. Some of the reasons for the widespread deficiencies have been identified as the very low understanding of nutritional matters and the lack of adequate supplies of balanced diets. These are reasons that are always cited by parents for not arresting the situation. The quality of food for children at infancy is the very bases for his future.
So, by training trainers who will be upgrading the capacities of other professionals, the Ministry and Nestlé Institute see these efforts as one way of arresting the problem of infant mortality caused by malnutrition.
The Neslté Nutrition Institute for Africa Francophone countries Serge Dzeukou declared “We are assisting professionals in our regions where these problems are severe or moderate our intentions, especially is to upgrade the capacities of all researchers and other stakeholders to beef up their knowledge and provide information. They will use these skills that have recently been provided by medical science to check the scourge and the other challenges in sanitation. This will promote and enhance the best chances of survival for our children”.
In a case study that happened in Bertoua on Wednesday May 10 the Regional Delegate R.D, Bidjang also declared “The initiative of the Institute is highly welcomed. It is providing solutions to a region where these mortality issues are frequent. We are counted among the worst, so it is for our professionals who have just been upgraded with new knowledge to push back the scourge.”