World Vision donates $40,500 worth of therapeutic feed to curb malnutrition

World Vision has donated Plumpy’Nut therapeutic feed worth $40,500 to the Government of Zambia for treatment of severe malnutrition among children in hospitals.

World Vision's Technical Programme Manager for Health Programming, Ms. Malelo Ilukena, says World Vision is cognizant of the fact that many children suffer from acute malnutrition and are in dire need of assistance. Speaking during the donation of Plumpy’ Nut therapeutic feed to government at the University Teaching Hospital (UTH) today, Ms. Ilukena emphasized that it is World Vision’s desire to ensure that children are safe, healthy and productive.

 “As World Vision, we realize that the malnutrition levels are going up and we know that there are many children that need acute malnutrition rehabilitation in many hospitals,” she said.

Ms. Ilukena has also pledged World Vision’s continued support in the fight against malnutrition among children in other parts of the country, as World Vision has also donated the Plumpy’ Nut therapeutic feed to several other districts.

“Children’s well-being is paramount to us as World Vision and that is why we are donating 300 boxes of RUTF* at UTH worth over $13,500. Other districts to benefit from this donation include Isoka, Katete, Mbala and Mungwi that will each receive 100 boxes valued at $4,500 each. These donations are meant to ensure that we mitigate issues of malnutrition in the hospitals,” Ms. Ilukena explains.

UTH Chief Nursing Officer for the children’s Hospital, Ms. Victoria Musala, commended World Vision’s efforts in mitigating malnutrition in children: “We are very grateful for the donation as this has come at the right time when there is an increase in the number of malnourished children. As you know that when the population grows, even the number of malnourished children is trending upwards. The donation you have made will help us decongest the wards because when we stabilize the children, they will be discharged together with the other RUTF. When they go home, their mothers will continue to feed them and chances of them coming back with malnutrition becomes slim.”

Ms. Musala since called on other cooperating partners to come to the aid of the institution in mitigating child malnutrition.

*RUTF = Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food