World Bank loan to fund nutrition project

More than a year after the political crisis in Madagascar ended, the government is still struggling to reduce chronic malnutrition among children. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), 42 percent of Malagasy children under five are underfed, while acute malnutrition affects 9 percent of young children. Although already some 70 percent of the population survive on less than US $1 per day amid widespread poverty, last year's political upheaval in the country is believed to have exacerbated an already precarious health situation. "Malnutrition prevalence rates have decreased in recent years, but very slowly. The recent problems the country experienced had a negative effect on some of the efforts to reduce the malnutrition problem, but the biggest obstacle is the poverty - people don't have enough money to buy food to feed their children," WHO child and maternal consultant, Dieudonne Randrianarimanana, told IRIN. A tussle over the presidency last year, during which the capital city, Antananarivo, was blockaded combined to cripple the country's already fragile economy. The cost of rice for example - the staple food of the Malagasy people - increased by 375 percent, pushing it beyond the reach of many families. Ongoing drought conditions in southern Madagascar have also left 270,000 people in need of food aid. "Although there aren't exact figures to show exactly how bad the situation is in Toliare, we expect that malnutrition is extremely serious," Randrianarimanana said. At the height of the food shortages in June, a vulnerability assessment conducted jointly with the United States Agency for International Development and Catholic Relief Services, estimated malnutrition rates at hospitals and health centres in the drought-affected areas at 30 percent. The World Food Programme(WFP)reported a drop in school attendance in the region, and more parents sending children to WFP feeding sites. In an effort to bolster existing efforts, the World Bank this week approved a US $10 million loan to support a nutrition project that will focus on reducing chronic malnutrition among children aged under three years. The programme will make food supplementation available to malnourished children and pregnant women, while vitamin A supplements will be given to young children and breastfeeding mothers. A key feature is an awareness programme highlighting increased hygiene at the household level.