Kpone, Feb. 8, GNA – The Nutrition Unit of the Kpone-Katamanso Municipal Health Directorate identified and admitted a total of 70 cases of Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) among children under five years in 2021.
Out of figure, 14 of the SAM children were cured and discharged while 20 are still receiving treatment as part of its Community-based Management Acute Malnutrition (CMAM) programme.
Ms Kafui Odoom, Kpone-Katamanso Nutritionist disclosing this to the Ghana News Agency in an interview said such cases were identified during Child Welfare Clinics (weighing), and home visits among others, adding that, severe cases were then managed through CMAM programme, while moderate cases were managed through counselling and follow-ups.
Ms Odoom indicated that the cases were treated with plumpy nuts (a peanut-based Ready-to-use Therapeutic Food) and micronutrient powders popularly known as kokoplus.
The Nutritionist, however, bemoaned that the Municipality just like others, had run out of supply of the plumpy nuts and the kokplus, a situation she described as a cause for concern.
“Not only does this threaten public health service delivery among children under five years, but it also has a direct bearing on the morbidity and mortality recorded among this age group,” she said.
Ms Odoom said due to the shortage, sometimes health providers have to use their resources or depend on others to purchase the nuts from the Tema General Hospital for the affected children in their quest to save their lives.
She appealed to non-governmental organizations, institutions, and individuals to support the unit to purchase the needed 3,000 pieces of plumpy nuts and 50 boxes of micronutrient powders for the children who were still on the treatment programme, and others yet to be identified.
GNA