Nakuru County’s Department of Health under the Nutrition and Dietetics unit aims to revolutionise maternal nutrition, breastfeeding practices and complementary feeding in the community through training.
The team has had a week-long training in Subukia Sub County, where Community Health Promoters (CHPs) from Munanda, Edgewood, and Tetu community units were educated on the Baby Friendly Community Initiative (BFCI).
The County Nutrition Coordinator, Wangui Kihara speaking during the closing ceremony said the BFCI programme would be championed and promoted by the CHPs so as to protect and support maternal and child health in the county.
The nutritionists noted that diet determines the health of the infant and can also influence the baby’s health into adulthood, adding that if a growing foetus is inadequately nourished in the womb, it increases the risk of heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure in adulthood.
Some of the nutritious foods that are beneficial to expectant mothers include vegetables, pumpkin, sweet potatoes, fruits such as oranges, mangoes or any other seasonal fruits in their community.
Kihara emphasised the importance of a nutritious diet in all family setups to reduce the high rate of 26 percent of stunted children under the age of five years countrywide.
Furthermore, she said the prevalence of stunting among children aged five and below in Africa currently stands at 30 percent, which is significantly higher than the global estimate of 22.3 percent.
The training which was supported by World Vision aims to establish mother-to-mother support groups, which is a key agenda item for the county to improve and reduce childhood diseases by having healthy and thriving babies.
By Veronica Bosibori
