Nutrition Weeks: Preventing undernutrition in Rwandan children : April 2013

Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Mother's views on nutrition at the end of their first Nutrition Week.

On the final day of Nutrition Week in the Kibumbwe sector three mothers explained: What they learned; what they are going to do in their homes; and their thoughts about Nutrition Week.

Malnutrition in Rwanda

52% of Children under 5 are chronically malnourished or shorter than they should be for their age (WHO, 2009)
Combating malnutrition has become a key priority in Rwanda Governemt and became the first country to sign the "Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Porgramme"
Rwanda ranks 166 out of 187 on human development. It is a low-income, food-deficit, and less developed country (World Food Programme, 2012)
2.2 Million Rwandan are food insecure (World Food Programme, 2012)
24% of Rwandans are highly vulnerable to food insecurity (World Food Programme, 2012)
23% are thinner than they should be (DHS, 2005)
Stunting is more prevalent in children aged about 24 months while wasting is more prevalent in children aged under 24 months (RCFSVA, 2009)
Children and women are most affected: 1/10 of women between 15-49 years old are malnourished (DHS, 2005)
Poor nutrition in women who are pregnant have a more low weight babies born (UNICEF, 2011)
Low birth weight is a causal factor in a high number of neonatal deaths
35% of households consumes iodized salts (UNICEF, Tracking Progress in Child and Maternal Nutrition, 2009)