Zimbabwe -- Resurgence of kwashiorkor in Harare

Zimbabwe Standard ^ | 2004-07-11 | Health Reporter Bertha Shoko

[Clive]

AT least 621 cases of kwashiorkor were attended to in Harare's city council clinics last year, as malnutrition cases continue to be reported at various health centres in the city and in the country.

Kwashiorkor is a disease associated with the inadequate consumption of protein and calories and children under the age of three are particularly susceptible to the disease.

Symptoms of the disease are "listlessness, spindly arms and legs and bloated stomachs" and if not treated quickly could result in the death of the affected child.

In his 2003 annual report, director of Health Services in the city council, Dr Lovemore Mbengeranwa, said 621 cases were attended to at municipal clinics during the year, showing a marked increase of 11.1 percent, over the number seen in 2002.

Of these 97.1 percent were below the age of five, while 2.7 percent between 5-14 years and 2 percent of these were above the age of 15.

The diagnosed cases of kwashiorkor were referred to the central hospitals for initial treatment and rehabilitation.

"Severe cases of kwashiorkor continue to be managed at Harare Hospital before discharge back to municipal clinics for follow up care," said Mbengeranwa.

"The number of kwashiorkor cases was evenly distributed throughout the districts. These cases were mainly attended to at Mbare, Rutsanana, Rujeko, Hatcliffe, Mabvuku and Marlborough clinics.

"Dzivarasekwa extension and the peri urban farms surrounding Marlborough, Mt Pleasant, Waterfalls contributed to the number of cases attended to during the year."

The report says that levels of food vulnerability in urban areas of Zimbabwe is increasing at an alarming rate due to the economic instability in the country.

"Supplementary feeding interventions have in the past been targeted at rural populations as they were viewed to be the most food insecure and vulnerable," notes the report.

"However, it has been found that the level of food vulnerability in urban areas of Zimbabwe was increasing at an alarming rate.

"This has been found to be due to the current drought situation, growing unemployment, the non availability of basic commodities and the rising inflation rate."

The Aids pandemic is also cited as a contributing factor in the high levels of malnutrition and "will have long term effects on food security and general household welfare".

Health experts say reports of malnutrition in urban areas are worrying, as it could be a broader reflection of the situation in more prone areas, such as rural areas.

The Minister of Health and Child Welfare, David Parirenyatwa, said it was a major concern of government that kwashiorkor cases continue to be reported in the city and also in rural areas.

Parirenyatwa said towns and cities were previously thought to be "food secure" but after the realisation that cases of kwashiorkor were also affecting the urban population, his ministry extended the Child Supplementary Feeding Scheme (CSFS) to city health institutions.

"We officially launched the CSFS in Rusape last year and have now included urban areas because we realise that malnutrition is a national problem.

"We have been very aggressive with this issue and we have moved to target squatter camps, peri urban farms in areas such as Marlborough and orphans particularly those who have lost parents due to the HIV/Aids epidemic and are in child headed families," said Parirenyatwa.

[Clive]

Also watch for an increase in the incidence of cholera in Harare.

[jws3sticks]

Here is a picture of classic kwashiorkor, with pitting edema and dead skin at the joints.

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""This has been found to be due to the current drought situation, growing unemployment, the non availability of basic commodities and the rising inflation rate." "

mugabe's "racist" land grab from farmers didn't have anything to do with this???