By Nasratu Kargbo
The Head of the Directorate of Food and Nutrition (DFN) Ms. Aminata Koroma during a presentation at the Launching of the Sierra Leone National Nutrition Survey 2021 (SLNNS) in Freetown last week has stated that acute malnutrition amongst children has worsened in Western Area Rural and Urban settlements that require attention.
Acute malnutrition in children causes weight loss or failure to gain normal weight. SLNNS 2021 findings show that in the Western Area districts urban slums and rural domains Global Acute Malnutrition (GAM) increased from 5.8% in 2017 to 9.6% in 2021, Moderate Acute Malnutrition (MAM), increased from 5.5%, in 2017 to 7.6% in 2021 and (Severe Acute Malnutrition) increased from 3.6% in 2017 to 5.9% in 2021.
294,147 children between 6-59 months experienced stunted growth, with 19.5% said to be moderately stunted and 6.7% severely stunted accounting for a lot of the number. However that statistics improved compared to the SLNNS of 2017 where global stunting was at 31.3%, moderate stunting 21.3%, and severe stunting at 10.1%.
Districts with very high stunting rates are Kenema, Kailahun, and Koinadugu, and they also have the poorest Infant and Young Child Feeding (ICYF) Practices.
Speaking on exclusive breastfeeding for up to six months, Koroma said there has been a slight decrease to 52.7%, and claimed the country does not have breastfeeding problems because 97.9% of children from ages 0-23 months are breastfed. She noted that the country is making gains in terms of breastfeeding, and emphasized the need for exclusive breastfeeding.
The Director noted that even though the underlying factors that affect nutrition status in children are food insecurity, morbidity, poor childcare, lack of safe drinking water amongst others, she disclosed that the survey has revealed that the major problem is child feeding practices, in terms of diversity and frequency in the meal.
It is important to note that only 4.9% of children aged 6-23 months meet the minimum acceptable diet.
According to Koroma as a directorate, they have made some interventions by providing micronutrition supplements, counseling for IYCF, and treatment of Global Acute Malnutrition and Severe Acute Malnutrition. She admitted they have not been doing that on a large scale and that their major task now is to scale up nutrition intervention.
The last SLNNS which ran from 1st to 31st August 2021, was conducted to assess the prevalence of malnutrition among children from ages 6-59 months, identify the nutrition status of adolescents from age 10-19, determine maternal nutrition status and assess the coverage of access to key primary healthcare services for child survival outcomes.
The survey was carried out by DFN, MoHS, and UNICEF Sierra Leone, with funding from the Government of Japan and other partners such as Irish Aid, Concern Worldwide, Hellen Keller, World Vision, and Joint Aid Management (JAM). Save the Children conducted the survey in collaboration with Sierra Leone Nutrition Technical Working Group.
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