Mothers need to be well educated and informed if malnutrition is be decreased in Uganda.
Dr. Hanifa Namusoke, a senior nutritionist at Mwanamugimu Nutrition Unit, Mulago says they emphasise four key issues for mothers at the unit. These include information regarding optimal breastfeeding from birth up to six months and optimal complimentary feeding onwards.
The mothers are also taught how to feed sick babies and ensure they get treatment, and how to ensure proper hygiene and sanitation. This includes toilet behaviour, hygiene on when to wash the baby’s hands, wash fruits and vegetables among others.
Maternal nutrition is also encouraged including proper feeding for the mother, seeking medical attention and family planning.
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Dressed in a brown overall, a frail and stunted-looking eight month old Immaculate Nassuna only weighs 3.7 kilograms.
Doctors at Mulago Hospital are waiting for Nassuna to clock five kilograms before an operation is carried out to straighten her heart complication coupled with acute malnutrition.
She is fed through a plastic tube that has been inserted into her nose and keeps moving her head from side to side in pain.
Nassuna’s heart problem has resulted into growth retardation and currently suffers from opportunistic diseases such as Tuberculosis, malaria and common colds.
Nassuna is just one of the many babies in the Mwanamugimu nutrition unit at Mulago hospital.
The Mwanamugimu nurse says Nassuna should have weighed seven kilograms at eight months.
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Her mother, Mary Nabagala says she used to breastfeed Nassuna but she noticed there was no change in weight. Nabagala, who has spent three weeks at Mwanamugimu nutrition unit, says it breaks her heart to see Nassuna look like she has no bones.
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Dr. Namusoke reveals that Nassuna is being fed on therapeutic milk formula. This includes Formula 75 and Formula 100 that is designed to treat acute malnutrition.
But at this stage, only medical complications are dealt with. She adds that after the baby improves they are given twice as much protein as carbohydrates known as ekitobero at Mwanamugimu.
Nutritionist Dr. Elizabeth Madraa argues that food availability or the lack of it is not the only cause of malnutrition.
She stresses that the onset of malnutrition is a cycle which starts when a woman is pregnant and feeds inadequately which affects the fetus.
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Dr. Madraa calls on all ministries to play their role as per the National Nutrition Action Plan 2011- 2016.
The nutrition action plan sets out guidelines for districts to implement nutrition programmes aimed at improving maternal and child health in the country by reducing malnutrition in women of reproductive age as well as infants below two years.
