Developed by the Department of Healthcare, the malnutrition prevention project among children under 5 in Khanh Hoa Province, period 2011-2015, is designed to maintain the low weight rate at 10%...
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| Besides proper nutrition, baby’s weight and height should be regularly monitored. |
Developed by the Department of Healthcare, the malnutrition prevention project among children under 5 in Khanh Hoa Province, period 2011-2015, is designed to maintain the underweight rate at 10%, end severe child undernourishment in remote areas, reduce the malnutrition rate to under 22% and control the overweight rate to below 5%.
To fulfill the aim, many measures focusing on prevention, have been proposed. At present, there are 38,673 children under 2 years of age and 98,024 under 5 in Khanh Hoa Province. Over the past years, the number of underweight children under 5 has dropped significantly to under 13% (June 2010 data).
However, the stunting rate is still very high. Over 20,000 children, mostly in remote mountainous areas are underweight and stunted. Many babies are born underweight because the mothers are poorly nourished.
In spite of great effort, little improvement has been seen in Khanh Hoa Province due to low living standards and lack of knowledge about nutrition and health care of local residents in remote areas, environmental pollution, etc.
In addition, the support of local authorities and the cooperation among organizations have not proved adequate enough to increase the effectiveness of the malnutrition prevention program.
The aim of the child malnutrition program, the period 2011-2015 is to raise the awareness of mothers about young child nutrition and healthcare, promote the support of local authorities in child nutrition prevention programs and poverty alleviation, connect programs concerning nutrition, initial healthcare and poverty alleviation.
Special initiatives are designed to create favorable conditions to reduce the malnutrition rate in disadvantaged mountainous areas. Dr. Bui Xuan Minh says, good nutrition before, during and after pregnancy is important. The end persistent underweight and stunting among children is based on appropriate maternal, infant and young child feeding practices
N.T
