Category: Nutrition

World Vision joins child nutrition advocacy

Kuda Pembere

By Kuda Pembere World Vision has joined the Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) Civil Society Network through its global Enough Campaign, which focuses on tackling child malnutrition. The SUN Civil Society Network engages in nutrition advocacy, and World Vision’s participation underscores its recognition of malnutrition as a significant barrier to its broader programming on health, child marriages, and sexual abuse prevention. Nutrition advocacy is one of our new areas that we just want to delve into as World Vision. Why? Because from evidence, we have realised that hunger and malnutrition are…

Read More

The intrinsic role of nutrition during breast cancer treatment

Caroline Chiimba

By Caroline Chiimba Breast cancer is a disease that affects millions of women and a percentage of men globally, and the role of nutrition in breast cancer treatment cannot be understated. A healthy diet can play a crucial role in supporting the body’s immune system, managing side effects of treatment, and promoting overall well-being during and after treatment. While the Breast cancer awareness month is coming to an end, the fight against cancer continues. Ruvimbo Danda, a renowned dietitian cited that cancer treatment can negatively affect one’s health due to…

Read More

Climate change and child malnutrition research on cards

Kuda Pembere

By Kudakwashe Pembere While Zimbabwe is still reeling under the harsh impact of the El-Nino induced drought, researchers intend to study the nexus between climate change effects and children malnutrition in the country. Researchers from Zvitambo, a children and maternal health research institute will be doing this study in partnership with the Food and Nutrition Council (FNC), the Ministry of Health and Child Care alongside CIMMYT Zimbabwe and Cornell University from New York, USA. The research will be conducted in Murehwa and Shurugwi over a period of two years. Addressing…

Read More

Family led MAUC: Fighting Malnutrition amid El-Nino drought

Caroline Chiimba

By Caroline Chiimba Placing mothers at the center of malnutrition screening strategies acknowledges that they are in the best position to detect the earliest signs of malnutrition in their children. Using a multifaceted approach to fighting malnutrition in vulnerable communities, the EU funded ‘Enhanced Resilience for Vulnerable Households in Zimbabwe’ (ERVHIZ) project trained more that eighteen thousand households to screen for malnutrition using MAUC tapes in Matebeleland’s six districts. Through the Care group model, Nutrition Action Zimbabwe in partnership with Ministry of Health under the ERVHIZ project distributed MAUC tapes…

Read More

Care groups as a vehicle for Supporting breastfeeding mothers

Caroline Chiimba

By Caroline Chiimba Breastfeeding gives children the healthiest start in life, as breast-milk promotes cognitive child development and acts as a baby’s first vaccine, giving babies a critical boost. Nutrition Action Zimbabwe (NAZ) joins the world in commemorating World Breastfeeding Week celebrated from 1-7 August under the theme, ‘Closing the gap: Breastfeeding support for all.’ In its programming, NAZ has always placed emphasis on exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months and continued breastfeeding with appropriate complimentary feeds up to two years and beyond. Breastfeeding proffers lifesaving benefits and is…

Read More

Import duty on grains removed

Kuda Pembere

By Kuda Pembere In an effort to ensure national food security while lessening the consequences of the drought caused by El Nino, Zimbabwe has loosened restrictions on the importation of grains at the household level. Addressing a post cabinet media briefing, Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Dr Jenfan Muswere said Government is currently implementing some measures to protect Zimbabweans from hunger. Cabinet wishes to advise the nation that in light of the El-Nino-induced drought, various measures are being instituted to guarantee food security for all and ensure that no…

Read More

Bulilima Malnutrition Cure Rate Jumps To 74 Percent

Kuda Pembere

By Kuda Pembere in Bulilima Bulilima has been the most improved district in the country raising its malnutrition cure rate from 39 percent in 2022 leaping to 74 percent the following year,  HealthTimes has learned. In an exclusive interview during a Mat South Health Resilience Fund (HRF) impact assessment media tour, Matabeleland South Provincial Nutrition officer, Innocent Mazarura said the district used to record a poor cure rate over the years. Cure rate is for all malnutrition cases including children under five. And actually, I want to zero in to…

Read More

Zimbabwe Govt Allocates 71,500 Tonnes Of Grain To Feed Over 2 Million Food Insecure Citizens

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare, Honorable July Moyo says government has set aside 71,500 metric tonnes of grain to distribute across food-insecure households during obtaining the lean season. Food situation data estimates that about 2,715,717 people will be in need of food assistance during the peak hunger period, between January and March 2024. The provinces with the highest food insecurity levels are Matabeleland North (42 percent) down from 58 percent from the previous year, Mashonaland Central (31 percent) and Masvingo province (30 percent). The…

Read More

USAID Extends US$2 Million To WFP To Address Urban Food Insecurity

Healthtimes

The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has received a US$2 million contribution from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to support more than 2,000 vulnerable families in three urban areas over the next year. By Staff Reporter Under the initiative, WFP and partners will create community assets and develop vulnerable families’ skills to boost livelihood opportunities. Communities will benefit from communal assets such as greenhouses and income-generation activities.  As part of the activities, WFP will provide internal savings and lending (ISAL) training to boost financial literacy among…

Read More

Urban Household Food Insecurity Declines In Zimbabwe

Healthtimes

A cocktail of measures and strategies being implemented in Zimbabwe have resulted in positive outcomes to the urban households’ food security situation, the latest Zimbabwe Vulnerability Assessment Committee (ZIMVAC) survey has projected. By Staff Reporter  According to the  survey, food insecurity levels for urban areas are projected to have significantly decreased from 42 percent reported in 2020 to 29 percent in 2023. Midlands (40 percent) had the highest proportion of households projected to be food insecure. Matabeleland South (22 percent) and Mashonaland Central (25 percent) had the least proportion of…

Read More