Without sufficient funds to bolster social protection programmes and the training of more health workers, millions of malnourished children in the country will continue to die as they are unable to fight repeated bouts of diseases and infection.
Addressing a news conference in Dar es Salaam yesterday, the Country Director of Save the Children, Tanzania, Mr Steve Throne said the more support is required for children to grow healthy.
“Malnutrition is an underlying cause of over a third of children deaths and can cause a country 2 to 3 per cent of its national income each year,” he said adding that investing in children’s health and nutrition is a sound economic strategy.
Mr Thorne said that four out of ten children under five are stunted, meaning that their bodies and brains fail to develop properly due to malnutrition.
He urged the government honour its commitment to meet the Abuja target of allocating 15 per cent of its national budget to health.
In a related development, referring to the African Food and Nutrition Security Day celebrated annually on October 30, Mr Thorne said that working together with other partners it was vital to realise the right for children access to adequate nutrition.
Under the theme, ‘Towards African Renaissance: Achieving the Right to Adequate Food and Nutrition’ 2013 African Food Day focuses on creating a platform in which concerned stakeholders can discuss solutions and make recommendations on food security in Africa.
By ANNE ROBI, Tanzania Daily News
