Study: chronic malnutrition in Laos requires attention
Despite the economic growth experienced in Laos over the past decade, chronic malnutrition of children below five years remains high, according to a new study released yesterday.
The study on food security and vulnerability, released yesterday by the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) and the first of its kind to be conducted in Laos, attempts to gain a better understanding of the nature and extent of food insecurity in rural areas.
“We need to realise what it means that every second child in rural Laos is chronically malnourished,” said WFP Country Representative Ms Christa Räder, during the report launch at the Settha Palace Hotel yesterday.
“For some ethnic groups, the level of chronic malnutrition is even higher. Children who experience this are in danger of not reaching their full physical and mental potential, and cannot contribute fully to the socio-economic development of the country.”
The study shows that the low levels of fat consumption are of concern, and wild animals, including fish, still make up the bulk of protein and fat consumption.
Until alternative food sources are established, it is vital to safeguard access to wild food sources, the study says.
“The new perspective that the study has provided is very useful for the Ministry of Health in its development of the national nutrition policy towards 2020,” said the Director of the Health and Nutrition Promotion Division of the Ministry of Health, Dr Bounthom Phengdy.
“It will also help us in the subsequent development of a strategy for implementing the policy.”
The study, WFP Comprehensive Food Security and Vulnerability Analysis, shows that as many as two thirds of rural households are at risk of becoming food insecure should one or more shocks affect the household.
In her statement, Ms Räder said most people in rural Laos , especially in the uplands, still depend on natural resources for their livelihoods. It is therefore important to use caution when making changes to people's way of life – particularly their livelihoods - in these vulnerable areas.
Rapid changes without adequate support may put vulnerable communities, especially ethnic groups, at further risk of food insecurity, as they are not able to substitute lost food sources with alternative ones.
Ms Räder also focused on the link between food insecurity and the Millennium Development Goals, pointing out that without success in addressing food insecurity and malnutrition, many of the other goals would become difficult to achieve.
“I therefore appeal to the Lao government and the donor community to give the highest priority to addressing child malnutrition in order to contribute to national development,” she said.
“The donor community should come forward with technical advice and adequate funds for a comprehensive push, led by the government, in addressing the multiple causes of food insecurity and child malnutrition, and to give all Lao children the ability to contribute to the country's development,” Ms Räder continued.
Village-based pilot initiatives on nutrition education are currently being developed by WFP Laos, with support from AusAID.
These pilots will be evaluated in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, the Lao Women's Union and the Lao Front for National Construction before scaling up, but more assistance from donors will be needed.
To carry out the study, WFP trained 60 government staff members from the provincial offices of the Ministries of Labour and Social Welfare, Agriculture and Forestry, and Planning and Investment in sampling techniques, anthropometric measurements of children and women, and interview skills, enabling them to collect data from nearly 4,000 households.
The data collection took place during October and November last year.
The study was funded by the Citigroup Foundation and the European Commission Humanitarian Aid Department.
By vientiane times (Latest Update November 7, 2007)
