Search
  1. Home
  2. Africa
  3. DRC

5.5 percent acute malnutrition among children in Bas-Congo

    NAIROBI

    Results of an NGO nutrition survey in the western province of Bas-Congo revealed that 5.5 percent of children were acutely malnourished, with under one percent of these severely malnourished.

    The UNICEF-funded survey, conducted by Action Against Hunger (AICF-USA) between 22 February and 5 March, measured some 900 children under five years of age in the Lukaya district of Bas-Congo.

    "The results are not so worrying in terms of moderate and severe
    malnutrition, but they indicate more long-term problems that require agricultural and food security interventions," Action Against Hunger nutritionist Caroline Wilkinson told IRIN today. The survey showed that 43.5 percent of the children were suffering from chronic malnutrition, or stunted growth, she said. The survey also estimated that only 34.5 percent
    of children had been vaccinated against measles.

    This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions

    Share this article

    Our ability to deliver compelling, field-based reporting on humanitarian crises rests on a few key principles: deep expertise, an unwavering commitment to amplifying affected voices, and a belief in the power of independent journalism to drive real change.

    We need your help to sustain and expand our work. Your donation will support our unique approach to journalism, helping fund everything from field-based investigations to the innovative storytelling that ensures marginalised voices are heard.

    Please consider joining our membership programme. Together, we can continue to make a meaningful impact on how the world responds to crises.

    Become a member of The New Humanitarian

    Support our journalism and become more involved in our community. Help us deliver informative, accessible, independent journalism that you can trust and provides accountability to the millions of people affected by crises worldwide.

    Join