MALAWI RISES EARLY TO LAUNCH THE SUN

Malawi Rises Early to Launch the Sun

By Chancy Batson Mauluka, Global Health Journalist.

After being launched by the United Nations Secretary General in September 2010, the government of Malawi, on 28^th July 2011, through the Office of President and Cabinet (OPC), launched the SUN 1000 Special Days Campaign in Malawi. The SUN (Scaling up Nutrition) 1000 Special Days Campaign is an approach of implementing nutrition activities that cover the first one thousand days of a child’s life. The one thousand days signify the number of days from pregnancy (conception) to the time the child is two years old. The SUN emphasizes on the 1000 days because this is the crucial period in life since stunting, underweight, wasting and any other malnutrition disorders that occur during the first 100 days, are not reversible.

The launch was graced by Madam Callister Mutharika, first lady of the republic of Malawi who is the Safe Motherhood Ambassador for the country and the Coordinator for Nutrition and HIV in the Office of President and Cabinet (OPC). Of all the nations the world over, the launch makes Malawi a first riser in Scaling Up Nutrition and positions Malawi with the best commitment to haut stunting and other malnutrition disorders. At the launch, different government departments and partners (private and public) displayed themes surrounding the seven Essential Nutrition Actions (ENA).

The seven Essential Nutrition Actions are Maternal Nutrition for Pregnant and Lactating Mothers, Exclusive Breastfeeding for the First 6 Months of the Infant’s Life, Timely Introduction to Complementary Feeding Coupled with Continuation of Breastfeeding up to Two Years, Feeding of the Sick Child, Control of vitamin A Deficiency, Control Iron Deficiency; and Control of Iodine Deficiency. Other cross-cutting issues in Essential Nutrition Actions for Infant and Young Child Nutrition include hygiene, family planning, prevention and control of Malaria and prevention of mother to child transmission of HIV.

Mounting their displays, public, private and civil society organizations wrapped the themes in six major components which showed Dietary Diversification, Food Fortification, Complementary Feeding, Pregnancy and Breastfeeding, Micronutrient Supplementation and Treatment of Malnutrition.

Under the SUN, Malawi is committed to reduce stunting by 50%.

Get a brief glimpse of the first lady’s speech that called stakeholders to action:

The availability of the Nutrition Policy, Strategic Plan and various on-going nutrition programs have contributed to the reduction of under-nutrition in general. Adequate nutrition is vital for both human and national development. Adequate nutrition is consuming a diversified, varied and nutritious diet made from the six food groups of Malawi. The diet must be served in right quantities, using right combinations with right frequency for human well being and productivity. Under-nutrition has devastating consequences which manifest into wasting, stunting and underweight. Productivity of a stunting person is compromised. Malnutrition in children below the age of five years has the risk of permanently causing physical and mental retardation and impaired intellectual and professional abilities with negative impact on the economic prosperity of an individual, a family, a community and a nation.

What is pleasing is that Malawi has made tremendous progress in the reduction of mal, moderate and acute malnutrition. For example wasting has declined to 3.2% from 5.3 %; underweight to 17% from 33%. On the other hand stunting has declined to 47.8% from 53%. It is the first time globally that stunting has decreased by 7% within the shortest time. The other pleasing aspect is the reduction in mortality rate due to stunting. This has fallen to 2% from 20%.

Despite the tremendous progress in the nutrition interventions, stunting still remains a challenge and it is of great concern because it reduces the Gross Domestic Product annually by two to three percent. If Malawi eliminated stunting, the country’s GDP would have reached almost 400% higher than what has been achieved to date.

In order to address stunting, the government of Malawi and all stakeholders are committed to Scaling up Nutrition 1000 Special Days Movement using a Nutrition Education and Communication (NEC) Strategy under the theme ‘Unite to End Stunting’.

This launch is a stepping stone for Malawi’s progression towards elimination of stunting. The initiative is aimed at improving maternal nutrition before, during and after pregnancy. It also aims at improving Infant and Young Child Nutrition within the first two years of the child’s life to prevent stunting which happens within this period. The initiative will enhance increased awareness and appreciation of the maternal and infant nutritional status. I am therefore calling upon everyone gathered here and program implementers to develop SUN 1000 Special Days work plans. You must commit yourselves to the nutrition program activities. You also need to share information and knowledge on nutrition. There is a serious need to establish a consensus on the actions which address chronic malnutrition especially within the focus of 1000 Special Days.

I will personally ensure that the call His Excellency Professor Bingu wa Mutharika made as the African Union Chairperson that ‘No Child in Africa Should go to Bed Hungry, Die of Malnutrition or Starvation………… and that ‘We Halve Stunting by 2016’’ is realized in Malawi.

President wa Mutharika as Minister responsible for Nutrition, HIV & AIDS has personally committed himself to champion and take the lead in the fight against nutrition disorders. His Excellency’s commitment was matched with action through directing that Nutrition, HIV& AIDS should be under his office. I, as the Coordinator, am also committed to make sure that action is taken at all levels to ensure smooth implementation of the program. The Department of Nutrition, HIV & AIDS, headed by Principal Secretary Dr. Mary Shawa, was established in 2004 to provide visionary strategic policy direction, guidance, oversight and coordination on nutrition issues….and Dr Mary Shawa is doing a wonderful job.

I wish to share with the international delegates that the government of Malawi under the personal championship, leadership and stewardship of His Excellency Ngwazi Professor Bingu wa Mutharika and the department of Nutrition, HIV & AIDS as a technical authority are responsible for high level advocacy facilitation of institutional capacity development, resource mobilization, resource tracking and research for evidence based planning. Nutrition must therefore be declared a cross-cutting issue with economic, socio-cultural, political and biomedical dimensions which should be addressed in a multi-sectoral manner involving all stakeholders. Further, the government created a vote for nutrition services with budgetary allocations and has recruited and placed officers responsible for Nutrition, HIV & AIDS in ten key ministries. I wish to appeal to all ministries, organizations, institutions and stakeholders working in nutrition to join hands with His Excellency Ngwazi Professor Bingu wa Mutharika and his government in scaling up the 1000 Special Days Campaign.

The implementation of the SUN 1000 Special Days Movement will also be at district and community levels.

This is the more reason why all District Commissioners, District Executive Committees and local leaders are here to witness the launch.I am therefore calling upon all local leaders, Non-Governmental Organizations, communities, families and care givers to commit themselves to implement the initiative. Front-line workers are being charged to form new alliances with their service beneficiaries for the SUN 1000 Special Days Movement. I wish to thank Irish AID, UNICEF, USAID, World Food Program, FAO, Concern Worldwide and Catholic Relief Services for their continued support. I wish you to know that it is His Excellency’s expectation that you will continue to support Malawi and facilitate a creation of the much needed Integrated Nutrition Fund that will mature into a SWAP.

Pictorial Focus of Displays-Extracts

Seeing Displays:The First Lady Madam Callister Mutharika flanked by Dr. Mary Shawa, Principal Secretary for Nutrition and HIV&AIDS.