Gov’t vows to eliminate causes of malnutrition within six months

The Minister of Health, Agnes Binagwaho, yesterday announced that plans are underway to eradicate malnutrition causes within the next six months. She said the Ministry of Health, along with other ministries, would join hands and propose a plan of action to eliminate malnutrition in the country. The minister made the disclosure during a post-cabinet press conference organised by the Ministry in Charge of Cabinet Affairs. Binagwaho said that plans to curb causes of malnutrition were a commitment arrived at during the recently held National Dialogue that will involve a number of ministries. She said the major cause of malnutrition was mainly lack of awareness on proper diets. “Some people are ignorant of what they should eat and how, but otherwise, there is no need for Rwanda to have malnutrition,” Binagwaho observed. The minister urged families owning land to start kitchen gardens as well diversifying their food varieties. As part of the strategy, a national campaign to enhance the consumption of milk in the country is already in the pipeline, according to a document presented during the cabinet meeting. This is intended to help improve health among Rwandans as well as develop the country’s dairy industry to address the issue of malnutrition. “Activities planned in the campaign include the regular national milk drinking days, house to house sensitisation, national milk drinking week, district milk drinking day, cow sharing, cow day, milk for work,” reads the document. The milk consumption campaign would require a total of Rwf 107,800,000 to be financed through the current budget.maria.kaitesi@newtimes.co.rw