West Pokot County received 300 cartons of health nutrition supplements called Plumpy nuts for children under the age of five years suffering from severe acute malnutrition from Action Against Hunger, a global humanitarian organization that takes decisive action against the cause and effects of hunger.
Plumpy nuts is a nutritional formula that is rich in vital vitamins, minerals, and calories that makes it good for fighting malnutrition especially in children age five years and below since it helps regain to a healthy weight within a few weeks after using it.
The Action Against Hunger West Pokot Program Director Salome Tsindori said the Plumpy nuts were donated to the county to be given to children aged five years and below suffering from acute malnutrition.
“West Pokot is one of the counties that we have been earmarked for this program and in this case, we donate 300 cartons of Plumpy nuts which is a high energy micronutrient enhanced paste for children aged five years and below in the county who have the challenge of malnutrition for it will enable them to return to a healthy living,” the Action Against Hunger program director said.
Speaking at the West Pokot County Ministry of Health offices ground, madam Tsindori noted that vitamins, minerals, and calories are essentials nutrients for individuals and more so for a child’s healthy growth and development.
“Preventing and treating severe acute malnutrition is critical to child survival and their long term development and it is good to prevent it by ensuring children eat food rich in nutrients that is good for child’s growth and development,” Tsindori emphasized.
Tsindori further said there is need to address the lives of malnourished children, ensure families can access clean water, food, training, and health care, and enable them to be free from hunger.
Health County Executive Committee (CEC) Ms Christine Apokoreng thanked the Action Against Hunger for their kind gesture and said the 300 nut donations will go a long way in saving the lives of the vulnerable children suffering from malnutrition in the county.
However, Apokoreng said there is a need of taking decisive action on how pregnant and breastfeeding mothers and children under the age of five and other vulnerable people can be protected from malnutrition.
“The effect of chronic malnutrition in children aged five years and below is irreversible if it is diagnosed late and there is a need for early recognition and diagnosis for proper treatment to be administered to a patient before it is too late,” said Apokoreng.
Apokoreng further stressed that the West Pokot County government takes the issues of health seriously, and they are ready to prevent deaths that malnutrition can cause to its people or any other diseases that are preventable and lauded the efforts by organization for supporting the county health systems in fighting malnutrition.
By Anthony Melly
