KAVANGO EAST — The health director of Kavango East, Idah Mendai, has issued an urgent call for action following a significant rise in malnutrition cases in the region, which has resulted in 15 deaths and affected 14,000 people this year alone.

According to Namibia Press Agency, during a meeting on Friday with the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Gender Equality, Social Development and Family Affairs, Mendai highlighted the critical situation in Rundu, noting a distressing increase from the 2,716 cases and 30 deaths recorded last year. She pointed to teenage pregnancies as a key driver of the malnutrition crisis, explaining that young mothers often leave their infants in the care of grandmothers who lack the resources to provide nutritious food, resorting instead to less nutritious alternatives like Oshikundu.

Mendai also identified other contributing factors to the crisis, such as inconsistencies in the supply of therapeutic food and inadequate training for health care and community workers on managing malnutrition. She emphasized the importance of encouraging young mothers to stay with their children and continue breastfeeding for up to a year. The region currently has a sufficient supply of therapeutic food, and Mendai urged for increased community awareness and engagement to combat the escalating problem.

In response to the crisis, Dr. Becky Ndjoze-Ojo, chairperson of the committee, called for enhanced collaboration among local stakeholders to address the various challenges contributing to malnutrition in Kavango East.