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Mozambique: NGOs advocate more state funding against chronic child malnutrition
9:23 CAT | 30 Jan 2020
FILE: For illustration purposes only. [File photo: Lusa]
The Expanding Nutrition Movement in Mozambique on Wednesday advocated more funding to combat chronic malnutrition, considering insufficient funds allocated by the state for this purpose.
“Unfortunately, only 0.013% of the state budget is allocated for the reduction of chronic malnutrition,” said Lígia Mutemba, technical assistant at the Movement, a network of NGOs.
The financial resources transferred by the Mozambican government to combat chronic malnutrition are below the international amount for this purpose.
The World Bank recommends an investment of about 620 meticais (€8,80) per year, for each child under five years old.
“That at least 620 meticais be invested in each child per year and gradually increase by 3% in three years because without good nutrition we will not achieve sustainable development goals,” said Lígia Mutemba.
To accelerate the fight against chronic malnutrition the new Mozambican government should include a specific chapter in the Five-Year Programme, ensuring nutrition and food security.
All public and private investment made in Mozambique should have a nutrition and food security component and ensure regular monitoring of nutrition indicators and not just food security, said Lígia Mutemba.
About the second phase “Nutrition Generation”, she stressed the awareness of chronic malnutrition and the need to combat it.
“The second phase will consist of using the results of the debates of the first phase to create communication materials that amplify its impact,” said Lígia Mutemba.
She said that chronic malnutrition in Mozambique is a national emergency and a public health problem because 43% of children aged between zero and five face this problem.
Almost half of Mozambican children will not be able to achieve their full cognitive and physical development, thus their futures are compromised.
Source: Lusa
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