33% of Ugandan children are stunted, says PM Rugunda

Prime Minister, Dr Ruhakana Rugunda has called upon leaders at all levels in the country to spearhead the campaign for scaling up nutrition especially among the children and women of child bearing age.
Mr Rugunda said government cannot make real gains in tackling poverty unless the problem of child stunting is urgently addressed.
He said malnutrition especially among children stunts their bodies, their minds and their potential to fully contribute to the country’s economy.
“This great loss holds back our country’s potential for a vibrant, productive labour force and its ability to realize the promise of the demographic dividend. For our country to grow, our children must grow,” said Mr Rugunda.
The Premier made the remarks while presiding over the joint policy coordination committee meeting on nutrition at the office of the Prime Minister on Tuesday.
“In Uganda, for every 100 children, 33 are stunted. In the South western region, 44 children out of every 100 are stunted and chronically hungry,” said the Premier.
The Joint policy coordination committee on nutrition is composed of stakeholders from both government and Development Partners.
Government is currently implementing the Nutrition Action Plan (UNAP) 2011-2015 which underpins the need to reduce child under- nutrition, especially stunting across the country.
Mr Rugunda said an issue paper on nutrition had been prepared with support from World Food Programme (WFP) to feed into the second phase of the national development plan (NDP 2) and a concept note to develop school feeding policy with a multi-sectoral approach had been finalized.
He said the Nutrition advocacy and communication strategy had been developed in partnership with stakeholders and would be used for advocacy and mobilisation for nutrition in the country.
On school feeding, the Minister of State for primary health care, Sarah Opendi encouraged other districts to emulate Tororo where a bye-law that compels parents to provide some food for their children at school was passed and working effectively.
The World food Programme Country Director, Alice Martin- Daihirou on behalf the UN agencies pledged their support to strengthening Uganda’s multi-sectoral partnership in the fight against malnutrition, in addition to identifying and meeting the funding gaps for nutrition.
Thomas Millar, the First Secretary at the European Union (EU) on behalf of EU Ambassador, Kristian Schmidt said under- nutrition traps individuals and societies in a vicious circle of poverty and disease. He pledged EU’s commitment to support the fight against under nutrition in Uganda.
According to the study on the socio-economic cost of hunger in Uganda(2013),up to 5.6% of GDP is lost each year because malnourished children grow up to be less productive youths and adults.