AFGHANISTAN - Malnutrition is one of the major causes of the high mortality rate of children under age five in Afghanistan, claiming the lives over 25 percent of infants born here. Those living in poverty are most vulnerable according to Chief Petty Officer Eddie Fitzpatrick, the chief hospital corpsman for the 30th Medical Command at Bagram Air Field.
The Panshir Provincial Reconstruction Team is helping to decrease mortality rates with a child nutrition program that is safe, cost-effective, sustainable with local resources, and culturally appropriate.
The Panjshir PRT Medical Unit conducted its first Strong Foods training program at the basic health clinic in the Shutol District. The group trained 12 male and seven female healthcare providers, Sept. 2.
Fitzpatrick is assisting the Panjshir PRT in implementing the "Strong Foods" program here. Fitzpatrick states the main function of the program is to return acutely malnourished children to normal weight and to restore their appetite to the point where they can sustain positive growth.
The Strong Food Program was developed to combat malnutrition through Afghan medical providers in provincial-based basic and comprehensive health centers. The PRT follows World Health Organization guidelines for training, educating and empowering Afghan health practitioners to deliver the benefits of Strong Food to malnourished children.
In the program, local health practitioners are taught how to prepare a simple food and vitamin mixture that serves as a dietary supplement. A serving of six ounces, provides 600 calories and essential vitamins and minerals that stimulate the child's appetite, gives them energy and sustains normal growth.
The mixture contains almonds, sugar, cooking oil, full-fat powdered milk and liquid vitamins that are inexpensive and locally purchased. The ingredients are then ground into a paste similar to peanut butter. The paste is spread on or mixed with other food or eaten straight.
"This is really a medication to give the children to help them to eat," he said. "It is only short term. Once the child regains his or her appetite and returns to normal weight they are removed from the program."
According to the World Health Organization, for every 1,000 births in Afghanistan there are 257 deaths before the age of five. The goal of the Strong Foods program is to help reduce those deaths 50 percent by the year 2015. The Panjshir PRT is helping to achieve this goal by providing training to all of the healthcare practitioners in the valley.
"This program and training [is] very helpful to us," said Dr. Abdul Momin, the staff physician in Shutol District.
"We will use this training to teach others how to make and use the food to take care of their children. I believe now we can help most of the [malnourished] children," she added.
| Date Taken: |
09.10.2009 |
| Date Posted: |
09.10.2009 01:13 |
| Story ID: |
38519 |
| Location: |
AF |
| Web Views: |
463 |
| Downloads: |
451 |
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