Malnutrition high in Muyinga

The health NGO International Medical Corps (IMC) has reported a dramatic rise in malnutrition rates in the northeastern province of Muyinga. In December last, the IMC had 4,457 new admissions to its 10 supplementary feeding centres in the province, a rate three times higher than in December 1999, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported. The agency also had 331 new admissions for therapeutic feeding, a rate four times higher than that recorded the previous year, the report said. Health workers said the dramatic rise was a consequence of drought and a serious malaria epidemic in Burundi. A joint government and UN monitoring mission in the central provinces of Muramvya and Mwaro found that food availability might be restricted due to poor rainfall. The global malnutrition rates were 11.6 percent and 9 percent respectively, but these rates could rise because food availability was not assured due to bad weather, it added. Meanwhile, increased insecurity in southern Burundi through December was of growing concern to the humanitarian community, OCHA said. “Organising a joint assessment mission to the province should be of highest priority, as soon as security permits,” it added.