Anaemia is described as a condition in which the number of red blood cells or the haemoglobin concentration within them is lower than normal, otherwise a deficiency in the number or quality of red blood cells in the body.
As per World Health Organization (WHO) explanation, anaemia is a serious global public health problem that particularly affects young children and pregnant women.
Meanwhile, the Deputy Executive Director of National Nutrition Agency (NaNA), Mr. Malang N. Fofana, speaking at the official launch of ‘National Nutrition Week’ in Kotu, earlier this week, has informed that children anaemia has reduced from 72.8 percent in 2013 to 44.8 percent in 2020.
The senior nutrition agency official went further to explain that the celebration aimed at creating public awareness on the importance of healthy eating and adoption of desirable behaviours to address malnutrition in the Gambia. He lamented the Gambia is experiencing the triple burden of malnutrition, whereby under nutrition, over nutrition and micro-nutrition deficiencies coexist, albeit “there has been some significant improvement in reducing under nutrition over the years”.
Despite the significant progresses made, Fofana reported, the country is still confronted with stunning rate, which irreversibly impedes a child’s physical development and cognitive abilities. However, he added the stunning rate has reduced from 23.4 percent in 2010 to 17.5 percent in 2019 and 2020.
Child under nutrition remains a persistent threat to the lives of Gambian children, while anaemia, which is one of the most prevalent micro-nutrient deficiencies in the country, has reduced drastically over the past years, according to the deputy head of NaNA.
In children, he noted that anaemia has reduced from 72.8 percent in 2013 to 44.8 percent in 2020, and for non-pregnant or lactating women of child-bearing age, it had reduced from 58.2 percent in 2013 to 42.2 percent in 2020.
“Child nutrition is linked with chronic food and nutrition insecurity, which is still prevalent in the Gambia”, Fofana told the convergence.
He expressed hope that the launching of the week and it subsequent engagements would provide time to reflect on the significance of healthy eating and the adoption of desirable behaviours, especially the reduction of the consumption of processed foods high in fat, sugar and salt.
“It will also enhance the promotion of the consumption of diversified diet rich in micro nutrients, particularly fortified and bio fortified foods,” Fofana stated.
The Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Health, Mr. Momodou Lamin Jaiteh, in his statement said the country has achieved three milestones components or outputs of the food fortification project. He indicated component one, constituting the legislative, regulatory, policy, institutional and governance for food fortification, is improved, noting the government gazetted the fortification of three food vehicles, namely wheat flour, edible oils, fats and iodized salt.
PS Jaiteh also explained that component two constitutes the increase in the production of fortified foods and bio-fortified crops in quantity and quality; while component three constitutes the improvement in social market and communication with integrated nutrition intervention.
Mr. Yasuhiro Tsumura, Representative and Country Director of World Food Programme in The Gambia, pointed out that anaemia among women has decreased from 60 percent in 2013 to 44 percent in 2019, whilst exclusive breastfeeding rates went up 47 percent in 2013 to 54 percent in 2019.
“Malnutrition decreased from 25 percent in 2013 to 18 percent in 2019. Acute malnutrition went down from 12 percent in 2013 to 5 in 2019. Child underweight declined from 16 percent in 2013 to 12 percent in 2019,” he said.
