Children in large numbers have recently died in Colombia because of malnutrition.
According to figures generated by a hospital, nearly 37 children have died in a gap of two month period. Nearly, 12 percent of the minor population is suffering from chronic malnutrition.
The victims were believed to be mainly from indigenous groups living in inaccessible jungle regions including Afro-Colombian community.
Reasons:
1. Lack of access to safe water and sanitation.
2. Widespread poverty.
3. Poor maternal health, inappropriate infant care and feeding practices.
However, Choco governor Julio Ibarguen has denied the allegations of widespread epidemic.
What could be done?
The problem could only be averted particularly through regular monitoring of children’s growth, coupled with early warning systems linking high-risk cases to trained health specialists.
Pregnant women along with their children, during the first two years of their life, must be targeted and the poor, rural and indigenous populations must be prioritized where malnutrition is concentrated.
Action at the national, program and community levels must be initiated to ensure combating malnutrition, which must be supported by national as well as international bodies. And regular monitoring is a must of nutrition programs.
