More Children in Malawi are Graduating from Malnutrition to Normal Weight

A New Program in Ntcheu District Helps Children Get Proper Nutrition

Situation

Acute malnutrition is a serious problem in Malawi with large percentage of children under five either underweight or stunted. No one is more aware of this problem than Maggie Mzungu, who has worked with the organization, Africare since 2002 managing Malawi’s food security, humanitarian, environment and recovery programs.

Solutions

Maggie participated in RGH’s 7‐day MPH program, which had a dramatic impact on how she viewed public health. She was inspired to start a program to improve the nutritional status of the children of the Ntcheu districts.

Maggie obtained a standard weight chart from the ministry of health to record the change in children’s weight after going through this program—a simple, yet highly effective starting point from which to measure success. Once the normal weight is achieved, the children “graduate” and their parents are given proper nutritional instructions to maintain the results of the program. Follow‐up is provided with monthly growth monitoring checks at the clinics and home visits to monitor the children, frequency of meals and whether proper sanitation is being maintained. Volunteers also check the under‐five age growth monitoring charts and immunization records to ensure regular clinic attendance by the children.

Success

Within 90 days of starting the program, Maggie’s entire team was trained and the consensus is that this straightforward, easy-to‐manage project is having real impact at reducing the number of children going to Nutrition Rehabilitation Units for supplementary feeding. An offshoot of the program has been the education of mothers on the value of feeding their children locally available food. The program is now moving to the next level by promoting household gardens as a great source of nutritious vegetables.

In her own words: “At first I thought public health was the responsibility of only those working in the clinic, but now I look at it as a holistic issue. If you have a healthy community, you limit the number of hospital admissions. The 7-Day MPH helped me look at health in a whole different way.”

About this Series

RGH’s 7-Day online programs provide participants with dynamic capacity building solutions that empower real country-led development. This series highlights the success of participants as they strive to bring better health and well-being to their communities and countries.