Panafrican News Agency

Gambian experts advance effort to promote nutrition

 Banjul, Gambia (PANA)  -  Nutrition experts in The Gambia Tuesday organized  a day’s forum to discuss the country’s  efforts to promote good nutrition, an official source told PANA here.

Malnutrition is a major public health problem in The Gambia adversely affecting vulnerable groups among the population, especially women in their productive age and children under five years.

According to nutrition experts, malnutrition trend is decreasing every year but more attention is needed to combat total malnutrition in the West African nation.

A nutrition expert at the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations, Solange Heise, commended the government and other partners for their commitment in eradicating all forms of malnutrition in the country.

Achieving food fortification programme, according to the nutrition expert, needs concerted efforts on health and development outcomes which require a multi-disciplinary approach.

The food fortification project, she explained, aimed at improving the food and nutrition security of vulnerable women and children in The Gambia.

More specifically, the project is focusing on ensuring access to consumption of micronutrient rich foods for promoting better nutrition for all.

Sanjally Trawally of  The Gambia health promotion and education directorate said micronutrient deficiencies and malnutrition had decreased to 20 percent, indicating the government’s commitment to improving nutrition of the population.

Trawally said food fortification was the most effective way of improving the micronutrient of The Gambia population.

He challenged the participants to effectively participate during the four-day convergence and come up with ideas and solutions to enable them to achieve their objective.

The European Union-funded project aims at improving food security and nutrition in The Gambia through food fortification.

It is being implemented by the FAO and partners in their efforts to reduce the high prevalence of micronutrient deficiencies in the country.

 

-0-     PANA     MSS/RA   26Nov2019