April 7, World Health Day
Intervida reminds us that more than 500 children under 5 years old die every hour due to causes associated with malnutrition
Madrid (04/04/2008). Even today, more than ten million children die each year before reaching their 5th birthday, nearly all of them in developing countries. 50% of these deaths are associated with the consequences of malnutrition, according to UNICEF. In consideration of World Health Day, INTERVIDA wants to remind us that more than 500 children around the world die every hour due to causes associated with malnutrition. The paradox is that while millions of children around the world are malnourished, in other countries, like Spain, studies by the Ministry of Health and Consumption estimate that 8.5% of children between 2 and 17 years old are obese, and 18% are overweight.
It is urgent that efforts in the fight against child malnutrition be multiplied, an action that can save many lives. In El Salvador, where INTERVIDA is carrying out health and nutrition projects with the most disadvantaged communities, estimates by WFP (the World Food Program) and ECLAC (the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean) indicate that between 1940 and 2004, more than 400,000 deaths of children under 5 were associated with malnutrition. This country is the third in global malnutrition in Central America, with an incidence among the youngest children of 10.3%.
A child’s early years are critical in his development. The nutritional deficiencies suffered during this period affect the child’s health and survival. For example, the lack of Vitamin A increases the probability of the child’s death by 25%. Additionally, malnourished children have less defenses for fighting off illness, including the most common ones, such as diarrhea, respiratory infections and anemia, as well as increase probability for contracting chronic illness as adults.
This supposes a high cost for the countries in terms of economic consequences. Investing in good nutrition means improving children’s education, improving the productivity of future generations and reducing health costs. For example, data compiled in a report by the WFP and ECLAC estimate that in El Salvador, achieving the Millennium Development Goal of reducing malnutrition by half by 2015 would mean saving up to 133 million dollars.
In particular, INTERVIDA El Salvador is undertaking efforts to fight malnutrition in five of the country’s departments where it runs its development projects, paying special attention to children and pregnant women. A balanced diet during pregnancy is very important since this reduces risks during the gestation period and influences the baby’s development. In this country, 8 of every 10 children are born underweight, which increases their risk of death during the first months and early years.
In the departments of La Libertad, La Paz, Usulután, and San Vicente, the chronic malnutrition of children under 5 years old oscillates between 10% and 20%. Two years ago, INTERVIDA implemented health and nutrition activities which currently benefit 600 children and more than 700 families. The main objective is to provide nutritional attention to children under 2 years old and pregnant women. To do this, each year a nutritional diagnostic is conducted, which is complemented by a monthly weight and height check for the children. Risk factors for illness are also analyzed, and nutritional and vitamin deficiencies are detected to be able to elaborate alimentation plans and provide treatment in cases where this is deemed necessary.
Important efforts are also undertaken in health and alimentation training with the families, especially with mothers, in order to teach them how to take maximum advantage of the foods available at home and in the community, always seeking to optimize the nutritional value.
Some promising results are already being observed: there are 176 trained nutrition volunteers who reproduce what they have learned in their communities; the number of nutritional consults reported has increased due to increased awareness on the part of the parents; and, more importantly, the nutritional state of the children has increased as compared with 2007. For example, in one particular area, the percentage of children attended to who presented a normal nutritional state has increased from 69% in 2007 to 80% in 2008. Additionally, the number of cases of light malnutrition attended to has dropped from 24% to 17%, and the number of cases of moderate nutrition has dropped from 7% to 3%.
In the Morazán Department, the situation is aggravated since is the third of the country with the highest incidence of chronic malnutrition among children under 5 years old and presents a problem of food security. For the last year, INTERVIDA has been working to attend to nearly 2,000 children between 0 and 10 years old, and to pregnant women and their families. In addition to the diagnostic and activities undertaken in other departments, in Morazán there exists an important agricultural and livestock production component.
Currently there are four community farms, equipped with the appropriate technology, which are aimed at ensuring a diet rich in protein, vitamins and minerals which are derived from meat, eggs, fruits and vegetables. These farms enable the community to improve the diet of nearly 1,000 children, among these students and preschool age children who do not attend school, as well as pregnant women. In 2007, these farms have produced more than 9,000 kilos of chicken meat, more than 103,000 eggs and 500 kilos of produce. For this year, the organization aims to establish more farms and to promote family gardens and diversified plantations, where the families can produce basic crops and raise animals such as poultry and pigs.
About FUNDACIÓN INTERVIDA
FUNDACIÓN INTERVIDA is a nonpartisan, nondenominational and completely independent development NGO in special consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council. Its objective is to contribute to sustainable human development towards improving the living conditions of the most disadvantaged communities around the world. Currently, INTERVIDA is active in various countries in Latin America, Africa and Asia, offering its support to nearly five million people.
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