DA urges govt to improve public info on the signs of malnutrition to prevent child deaths
The Democratic Alliance (DA) said it was concerned to learn that the 155 children under the age of five who died in public health facilities were due to moderate or severe acute malnutrition.
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JOHANNESBURG - The Democratic Alliance (DA) said it was concerned to learn that the 155 children under the age of five who died in public health facilities were due to moderate or severe acute malnutrition.
The party said these figures were revealed by Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi in response to a written parliamentary question from the DA.
The DA has called on government to take action to curb such deaths by improving public information campaigns on the signs of malnutrition.
Motsoaledi explained that the majority of children who died from malnutrition were in Limpopo, with 32 cases, followed by Gauteng at 30, and KwaZulu-Natal with 29 deaths.
Motsoaledi noted that the information had only been collected since April 2017.
In a joint statement on Saturday, DA MP Michelle Clarke and Bridget Masango said that severe acute malnutrition in children younger than five had risen by 26% over the past five years.
They described the situation as a “serious and growing tragedy”, linking it to rising unemployment and a higher cost of living.
The MPs said that the party wanted the departments of health and social development to work together more effectively, and roll out better public awareness campaigns to help caregivers identify the early signs of malnutrition.
They also argued that families receiving child support grants needed better guidance on how to use the funds to buy nutritious food.