MEDIA CHALLENGED TO EXPOSE THE PAINS OF CHILDREN SUFFERING FROM MALNUTRITION

By Aamon Butao 

While 36 out of every 100 children in the country are still suffering from malnutrition, journalists have been urged to bring into the open the impact of malnutrition for authorities to react and invest more towards ending the problem.

The media has been challenged to bring forward the pain and struggle of the children.

The call has been made during a 3 day  media workshop on increasing resource allocation and accountability for the nutrition sector in Malawi organized by Oxfam with funding from GIZ.

In an interview with Timveni, Oxfam Media and Communications Manager Daudi Kayisi said the nutrition sector in the country is facing numerous challenges due to underfunding.

Kayisi said malnutrition cases in the country are still going up in some districts due to little attention paid towards the nutrition sector.

According to Kayisi, the sector is not given much attention as it gets low funding, citing an example of the current national budget which allocated one point nine percent towards nutrition.

On this note, Kayisi said stakeholders and government have to be reminded about the role they need to take in investing in the nutrition sector.

The Media and Communications Manager said government and other stakeholders made commitments to boost the nutrition sector during the launch of Scaling up Nutrition where President Lazarus Chakwera was the guest of honour.

He said time has come for authorities to take the leading role in boosting the sector as it costs a lot if nothing is done.

He also expressed concern that district councils have no funds for nutrition interventions.

In her remarks, Dowa District Principal Nutrition and HIV/AIDS Officer, Lisungu Kamkondo said the district is not carrying out any activity due to lack of funds.

On this note, Kamkondo has called on government to fund the sector.

Oxfam is implementing the second phase of the Increasing Resource Allocation and Accountability for the Nutrition Sector Project in Dowa, Salima and Dedza with the aim of seeking contribution to the reduction of stunting among children in Malawi by ensuring increased budgetary resource allocation and efficient utilization of such resources in the nutrition sector.