Malnutrition: Silent killer of Namibian children

Japan has extended two projects to secure nutrition and protection services for Namibia’s vulnerable women and children in the Omaheke, Khomas and Kunene regions.The projects, valued at a combined N$23.5 million, will also serve as emergency response to the country&#039;s most vulnerable, food-insecure households. This comes at a time when Namibia is seeing a steep rise in malnutrition cases, with at least 45 children dying of malnutrition in Omaheke in 2023.The World Health Organisation (WHO) will serve as the implementing partner, in collaboration with the health ministry, for the next 12 months.A total of N$9.3 million has been earmarked for increasing access to quality nutrition and protection services for vulnerable populations.Meanwhile, N$14.2 million has been pledged towards a project titled &#039;Emergency response to enhance resilience and mitigate climate-induced impacts on livelihoods, food and nutrition security for the vulnerable in the Kavango and Ohangwena regions&#039;. This year-long project will be implemented by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), in collaboration with the agriculture ministry. Millions spentAmbassador Hisao Nishimaki on Monday said Japan has, in total, implemented five projects worth N$37 million in collaboration with WHO, and three projects with FAO totalling N$40 million.“The need for support in the health and agriculture sectors is great, since everybody needs healthcare and it is said that more than 70% of the Namibian population depends on agriculture directly and indirectly. To this end, the Japan supplementary budget has been consistently funding FAO activities in Namibia for three consecutive years now. "I implore you, honourable governors, to stay close to the communities and motivate them to ensure that the knowledge and tools they receive are put to the maximum use to ensure that not only their own livelihoods are improved, but that the food security situation in their regions is improved,” he said.Improper nutritionHealth minister Dr Kalumbi Shangula said malnutrition haunts several communities in Namibia, but added that it should be dissected from the lack of food entirely and instead be understood as the intake of improper nutrition. This, he stressed, calls for a holistic approach, with various sectors collaborating to address the root causes and not only their manifestations. Wherever malnutrition is experienced, the hardest hit are children, who are particularly vulnerable, he said.“Since it has to do with lack of food, it means our point of departure is to ensure that people have access to adequate food. It means families and communities must have access to the means, tools, inputs and land to produce food. It means people should be provided with the necessary skills to improve food production at household level,” he said.jemima@namibiansun.com

Malnutrition: Silent killer of Namibian children

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Namibian Sun 2025-04-25

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Malnutrition: Silent killer of Namibian children

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Namibian Sun 2025-04-25

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