Nutrition

ACCELERATING CHILD SURVIVAL AND DEVELOPMENT 2009 Uganda’s Battle Against the Top Childhood Threats © UNICEF Uganda/Roger Le Moyne

PREVENTING AND TREATING MALNUTRITION SITUATION SUMMARY Malnutrition and micro-nutrient deficiencies are widespread in Uganda, despite the fact that it is a country with abundant food supplies and arable land. Good nutrition is not just about food however, it is about getting the right types of food, having access to safe water and sanitation, and about putting good health and hygiene knowledge into practice. According to UDHS 2006, some 12 % of Ugandan children are severely stunted, reflecting a lack of adequate nutrition over an extended period, or chronic illness. Some 16% of children are underweight, which means that they have been affected by both chronic and acute under-nutrition. Most concerning, 6% of children are considered to be wasted, having experienced a rapid deterioration of food supplies. Employing correct Infant and Young Child Feeding Practices (ICYF) can prevent malnutrition. ICYF considers the timely initiation of feeding solid/semi-solid foods, the diversity of food and the frequency of feeding. According to the UDHS 2006, less than one quarter (24%) of Ugandan children age 6-23 months were fed with the minimum standard of all three ICYF practices. Only 8% of children of IDPs and children in the Karamoja subregion were fed according to minimum standards. In addition to body-hunger, “brain-hunger” is widespread, with detrimental effects to the health and developmental capacity of individual children and society as a whole. Almost three quarters of Ugandan children under-five are anaemic, with 7% being severely anaemic. Anaemia can impair cognitive performance, behavioural and motor-skills development. Meanwhile, approximately 20% of children in Uganda have some form of Vitamin A Deficiency (VAD) which can seriously impair their immune system and vision.

THE REGIONAL PERSPECTIVE

Global Acute Malnutrition

In northern Uganda, despite an overall improvement in the nutrition situation over the last 3 years, there is still a need for monitoring in the Acholi region, with a special focus on areas of return. With the exception of KitWFP/UNICEF: Nutrition Assessm ents by Sub-Region Moderate Malnutrition Severe Malnutrition 10 8 6

1.8

4 2

6.7

1.5 1.6 5.9

8

0 Teso (WHO) Jul Acholi (NCHS) Karamoja 08 Jun 08 (NCHS) Aug 08

Some 12% of Ugandan children are severely stunted; 16% are underweight and 6% are considered wasted.

gum, Pader and Gulu, prevalence of SAM in remaining districts is less than 1%. In north-western Uganda, pervasive insecurity combined with a variety of social and environmental shocks to pastoralist livelihoods culminated into an acute child survival and nutrition crisis in 2008. With the arrival of rains and emergency interventions however, acute malnutrition dropped below emergency levels in most districts.

NUTRITION INDICATIVE BUDGET FOR 2009 UNICEF works at the national level and in 23 focus districts to ensure that all children realize their right to survival and health development. In 2009 the nutrition programme will ensure: • At least 50% of children with severe acute malnutrition are identified and treated (by building the capacity of health workers to identify, refer and treat Severe Acute Malnutrition at HC 3 and 4 levels, including forecasting their supply needs for their programmes and providing partners with adequate supply, financial and technical assistance); • At least 25% of households have the required knowledge and skills to adopt IYCF practices to prevent malnutrition (by building the capacity of health workers at the HC 2 level and VHTs ). • At least 80% of children aged 6 to 59 months receive vitamin A supplementation twice a year and at least 80% of children aged 1 to 14 years are de-wormed twice a year (through support to Child Health Days) • A nutrition surveillance system is functional in all 9 counties in Karamoja and 2 districts in Acholi (by support District Governments and Nutrition Partners with financial and technical assistance). Budgetary Requirements: 2,375,000 USD National level USD 1,200,000 District level USD 2,175,000

FOR MORE INFORMATION Dr. Claudia Hudspeth Chief, Child Survival [email protected]

Karen Allen Deputy Representative [email protected]