Tag: Dexter Chagwena

The “Ndiro ya Baba” Phenomenon:…A closer look at the intra household food distribution in Zimbabwe

Healthtimes

TO those who have had a stint with rural life you might have across these phrases, “Musana Wehuku Ndewababa,” loosely translated as “only the father or man of the house is the one who eats the entire Chicken’s back.” In Masvingo it’s called Chiteretere and in some households, women have even been sent packing for wrongly allocating chicken portions. By Dr Tonde Matsungo (PhD, MPhil, BSc) and Dexter Chagwena To consume the entire Chicken’s back, a humongous mountain of Sadza has to complement the meal. The practice whereby the father…

Read More

Zim Has The Best Breastfeeding Trend: Experts

Patricia Mashiri

EXPERTS have commended the country’s breastfeeding trend which is currently amongst the highest in the region  and encouraged mothers to continue breastfeeding even after they would have tested positive for COVID-19. By Patricia Mashiri Speaking to HealthTimes, Mr Dexter Chagwena, a Nutritionist Consultant in the Ministry of Health and Child Care said the breastfeeding trend in Zimbabwe has been good even though there is need to improve on exclusive breastfeeding. Breastfeeding trend in Zimbabwe has been fairly good. We are a breastfeeding country where about between 96-98% of our children…

Read More

White Sadza Is Very Fit For Human Consumption- Zim Nutritionists

Michael Gwarisa

LAST week, Zimbabwean Journalist, Hopewell Chin’ono torched a storm on social media when he attacked Zimbabwe’s staple food, Sadza and suggested through his tweet that Zimbabweans should dump Maize meal Sadza for small grains since Maize was only fit for livestock consumption. “Sadza has ZERO value to our well-being!” he said. “Our ancestors ate superior starch than Sadza. Why aren’t we doing the same? Maize is originally Mexican. In advanced economies, it is for cattle!” By Michael Gwarisa He also added that Maize meal is fortified because it lacks the…

Read More

Do You Know That Inappropriate Advertising & Marketing Of Breast Milk Substitutes Is A Violation Of A Global Public Health CODE Of Conduct

Michael Gwarisa

YOU might have been doing it subconsciously but did you know that promoting and marketing substitutes for breast milks such as infant milk formulas , Cereals, purity and other foods and substances for baby feeding is against a World Health Organisation (WHO)  set Code of conduct for all manufacturers and distributors of breast milk substitutes. By Michael Gwarisa The Code dubbed the International Code of Marketing of Breast Milk Substitutes seeks amongst other things to protect breastfeeding mothers from consuming promotional material which may lead to them abandoning breast feeding…

Read More

Local NGO Sets Up Breastfeeding Room At Parliament

Michael Gwarisa

IN a move that is likely to bring convenience to breastfeeding female legislators and parliament employees as well as boost nutritional needs for babies, the Zimbabwe Civil Society Organisations Scaling Up Nutrition Alliance (ZCSOSUNA) is in the process of finalizing the setting up of a lactation room inside the Zimbabwe Parliament premises. By Michael Gwarisa According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), a child should be exclusively breastfed for six months and the first 1000 days of an infant are most crucial in the brain development and general development of…

Read More

Zim Women Ready To Embrace Donor Breast Milk For Infant Feeding- Study

Michael Gwarisa

A new study conducted by a group of Zimbabwean nutritionists has gathered that Zimbabwean working class women would prefer substituting breast feeding with breast milk from donors as compared to formulas. By Michael Gwarisa The study  titled “Acceptability of donor breastmilk banking among health workers: a cross-sectional survey in Zimbabwean urban settings,” was conducted by a team of seven nutritionists namely Dexter Chagwena, Felistas Mugariri, Steady Mataga, Ruvimbo Danda, Tonderayi Matsungo and Charles Maponga. The concept of donor human milk banking was acceptable among health workers. One-third (31%) of the…

Read More

New Research Encourages Zimbabweans To Eat Insects To Boost Nutrition

NewsRoom

FINDINGS from a new research by local nutritionists has found high crude protein content in at least three edible insects available in Zimbabwe which could go a long way in alleviating rampart cases of under-nutrition and malnutrition. By Michael Gwarisa The research dubbed “PROTEIN QUALITY OF COMMONLY CONSUMED EDIBLE INSECTS IN ZIMBABWE” was conducted between 2015 and 2017 and authored by Dexter Chagwena a nutritionists in the ministry of health and child care (MoHCC) department, Matanhire GT,  Jombo TZ and CC Maponga. Commenting on the findings of the research, Chagwena…

Read More

Iron Deficiency Common In Zim Toddlers and Pregnant Woman

NewsRoom

By Michael Gwarisa LACK of proper nutrients in foods consumed in Zimbabwe has led to a surge in iron deficiency and anemia cases amongst toddlers and pregnant woman, a ministry of health official has said. Presenting during a Communication for Development discussion on the implementation of the National Nutrition Communication Strategy organised by UNICEF today, Nutritionist in the Ministry of Health and Child Care Dexter Chagwena said cases of malnutrition in toddlers and pregnant women were high in Zimbabwe hence the need for food fortification. “Food fortification involves including minute levels…

Read More