Other data released
by humanitarian organizations say that children who suffered from malnutrition
early in life perform badly in school and have reduced potential for high
education.
Malnutrition
and under-nutrition is still a challenge we must face above all in areas such
as Tharaka and the North of Kenya. Fortunately around Chaaria the
diversification of food the mothers give to the children make malnutrition
quite rare.
Nevertheless,
the Cottolengo Mission of Tuuru runs a ward for children affected by kwashiorkor
or marasmus which are still quite
rampant in rural parts of Meru North and in the areas of the district bordering
Tharaka and Isiolo.
In that
ward the sisters have programs for fortified and diversified nutrition for the
small children who remain admitted for many months. In the same time they do a
lot of counseling to the parents on the way of feeding their children: in the
case of Tuuru in fact, most of the times the problem is not the total absence
of available food, but the diet based on a single staple food, without
diversification: this leads to lack of important nutrients such as vitamins,
minerals or proteins.
It is our
common experience in Chaaria that in a malnourished child all the common
diseases (such as pneumonia, diarrhea or malaria) are normally more severe and
often life threatening.
Therefore
fighting malnutrition can actually prevent a lot of pediatric deaths.
In the
photo you can see a marasmic child we were able to save. He recovered
completely from the condition.
Dr Bro Giuseppe
Gaido
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