Let's Talk About Malnutrition: The Case of Cameroon

According to the NationalInstitute of Statistics, 33 percent of children under the age of 5 in Cameroonsuffer from malnutrition, 14 percent of them extremely malnourished.

These numbers are immense and need to be addressed in light of the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) for member states to halve the proportionof those suffering from hunger by 2015. The MDGs, however, should not be the only “incentive” to create changein Cameroon. 

The Ministry of Public Healthbelieves that malnutrition in Cameroon is closely tied to its climate, but formany, it is simply access to food that continues to make this percentage sohigh. 

Infant malnutrition isespecially high in the Far North and North Regions because of lack of foodduring the lean season (mid-June to end of August).  In the same way, much of the food consumed is low inessential nutrients. 

“Cameroon is known to be a food-sufficient country. Thismeans that the country doesn’t need to import food as it produces enough tofeed its population. Poverty is preventing the Cameroonian people from havingaccess to a varied and balanced diet,” states Celine Essengue, Enfants Cameroun(IPS News).

A UNICEF estimate shows thatroughly 58,000 children under the age of 5 are at risk of severe malnutrition and145,000 children at the same age range will suffer

“Infant malnutrition is also due to the fact that very fewinfants are breastfed exclusively for the first six months after birth,” statesDr. Sa’a, Director of health promotion in Ministry of Health (IPS News). 

What we are facing is ahealthcare issue, a poverty issue, and a lack of education.  It is time to take a stand and makechange. 

Story thanks to IPS News, http://www.ipsnews.net/2013/07/