Economic crisis heightens childhood malnutrition: Survey

Friday, 2 December 2022 00:21 -     - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

The Health Promotion Bureau after analysing data gathered from across the country about the nutritional health of children has found a clear rise in the rate of childhood malnutrition.

“The analysis revealed that 15% of the children remained underweight, while there was an increase of 2% in growth stunts, compared to the data retrieved last year,” Family Health Bureau Director Dr. Chithramalee De Silva told journalists yesterday.

She explained that the main focus of the survey was on children aged below five years.

Dr. De Silva stated that in light of the country’s prolonged economic crisis, the HPB anticipated an increase in the rates of malnourishment and is taking special measures in this regard.

“We are aiming to increase food security, and decrease the rates of malnutrition amongst children,” she said.

She said that the production of Thriposha too has been increased from two billion to 12 billion units.

Dr. De Silva appealed to donors and other non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to assist in supplying the kids with the necessary food and nutrition, as well as to media outlets to assist in spreading the word.

FHB has reported that underweight among children has increased up to 15.3% in the year 2022, from 12.2% in 2021.

Children with wasting have hiked from 8.2% to 10.1% thus far in 2022, whilst stunting has increased from 7.4% to 9.2%, the FHB survey revealed.

It also showed that severe acute malnutrition among children is 1.4% in 2022, while it is numerically 18,420 children.

The survey identified Polonnaruwa and Galle as the severe acute malnutrition reported districts.

 

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