The Ministry of Health through the State Department for Public Health and Professional Standards has issued a nutritional advisory for vulnerable groups such as pregnant and breastfeeding women, infants and young children to mitigate risks from food insecurity, hygiene and other threats affecting their nutritional well-being brought about by the emergencies caused by the ongoing long rains.
According to the State Department for Public Health and Professional Standards Principal Secretary (PS) Mary Muthoni, the long rains continue to impact communities causing emergencies like floods, landslides and food insecurities in different regions in the country causing significant threats to the nutritional well being of pregnant women, breastfeeding women, infants and young children which are the vulnerable groups in this long rains.
“To mitigate these risks and safeguard the health of our communities during this ongoing period of rainfall, we offer the following advisory:” said PS Muthoni as she offered an advisory to pregnant women, breastfeeding women, infants and young children.
Pregnant Women are advised to seek assistance from health service providers or local humanitarian organizations within displacement camps for nutrition screening, essential psychosocial and appropriate Feeding support. They should also maintain their intake of iron and folic acid supplements to prevent them from getting anaemia, birth defects, and low birth weight. Also, the increasing of their meal intake to support their own nutrition as well as that of their unborn baby is important. They should also ensure to drink sufficient safe water for overall health.
Breastfeeding Women should seek support from health service providers or humanitarian organizations within displacement camps for nutrition screening, basic psychosocial and breastfeeding assistance. Increasing their meal intake in order to support their nutrition while breastfeeding is highly important during this time. They are also advised to continue breastfeeding their children and maintain adequate hydration by drinking safe water on a regular basis.
Mothers that have infants from 0 to 6 months are advised to reach out to health service providers or humanitarian organizations within the displacement camps for nutrition check ups, essential psychosocial, practical, and material support for breastfeeding and for child stimulation. In case the infant is experiencing breastfeeding difficulties, they are advised to seek medical support from the nearest health service providers within the displacement camp or health facility.
“The (0-6 months old) baby mothers should also understand that breastfeeding offers the strongest protection for their baby’s health and nutrition, particularly during emergencies, they should strictly adhere to exclusive breastfeeding; breast milk is crucial, safe, and vital for their baby’s well-being,” the PS emphasized.
While those aged between 6 to 24 months are advised to seek support from health service providers or humanitarian organizations within the displacement camp for nutrition assessment, essential psychosocial, practical, and material support for breastfeeding and child stimulation.
“These mothers should remember that breast milk remains an important component in their child’s diet, providing half of the child’s nutritional requirements up to 12 months and a third up to 2 years. They are also supposed to ensure that their child is able to receive frequent meals comprising diverse foods in addition to continued breastfeeding every day.”
The mothers are also advised to observe food safety and personal hygiene before preparing food, eating, or feeding children. Washing their hands with soap and clean running water is good for the baby’s safety in this time and should regularly clean and disinfect Food preparation areas.
“They are also encouraged to use clean dry utensils when serving food as it is a healthy practice.”
The Ps discouraged mothers of feeding their children highly processed packaged foods and drinks such as Sugar sweetened beverages, candies, potato chips and other foods containing high sugar, salt and Fats, as they are less healthy. This is in line with the regulations prohibiting inappropriate promotion of foods for infants and young Children, as stated in the Breastmilk Substitutes Act, 2012 and the Breastmilk Substitutes (General) Regulations, 2021 is important.
While mothers with sick children under six months are advised to seek medical attention by reaching out to health service providers for help, treatment, and support and follow the treatment provided. She further advised mothers to continues breastfeeding their sick children frequently during illness as it helps in the baby’s quick recovery process.
“The mothers should only give breast milk and the prescribed medicine to their sick baby,” She said.
Sick children that are older than six months are to be taken to the health services providers to get assistance, treatment and support. The mothers should ensure the adherence to the treatment provided. Increasing frequency in breastfeeding and offering additional food to their child to maintain his or her strength and also reduces weight loss and helps the child recover faster.
Patient encouragement from the mother to their sick child to eat, as his or her appetite maybe decreased due to the illness is helpful. When the child has fever or diarrhoea, the mother should give extra fluids as much as possible, for example, Safe drinking water or soup, while seeking medical attention. Weight loss and swelling development from the child on both feet (acute malnutrition) should be dealt with by Seeking medical support from the health service providers/health facility for admission into a treatment program.
The Ministry of health has taken the Flood Response Actions during the ongoing long rains with different activities being done. Such activities include holding weekly response coordination meetings that at the national level, involving Nutrition partners and affected counties to streamline nutrition response efforts.
MoH and partners have also repositioned nutrition commodities for the treatment of acute malnutrition in 32 sub-county hubs across 9 counties, these are, Marsabit, Wajir, Garissa, Tana River, West Pokot, Turkana, Samburu, Baringo, and Mandera. The commodities include 164 cartons of Therapeutic milk-F75, 111 Cartons of F-100 and 62 cartons of Rehydration Solution for malnutrition (RESOMAL) for the 23 counties in non-ASAL, and 433 cartons of F-75 for Counties in ASAL.
There are also malnutrition screening initiatives conducted in several counties as part of flood response Preparedness. A total of 210,535 children under five and 54,736 pregnant and breastfeeding mothers were screened for malnutrition in Garissa, Marsabit, Kisumu, Homabay, Migori, Tana River and Turkana Counties as part of flood response Preparedness in March 2024.
There are also plans that are underway to conduct mass malnutrition screening in the displacement camps in Nine counties. These counties include, Nairobi, Kisumu, Homabay, Migori, Busia, Kajiado, Nakuru, Garissa, and Tana River
Maternal Infant and Young Child Nutrition (MIYCN) rapid assessments in in Isiolo are ongoing with plans for scale-up through support from partners in IDP camps in 10 counties that include, Garissa, Tana River, Isiolo, Nairobi, Kisumu, Homabay, Migori, Busia, Kajiado, and Nakuru counties.
There is a repurposing of existing health and nutrition outreaches to serve IDP camps in three Counties. These counties are, Garissa, Tana River, and Isiolo. There are plans for initiating in seven more counties.
Also, there is the ongoing monitoring of violation of the Breast Milk Substitutes (BMS) Act, with virtual Sensitization conducted for all counties and nutrition partners across the country.
“Let us come together to ensure the nutritional well-being of mothers, infants, and young children during these ongoing long rains. Together, we can build resilient and healthy communities.” Commended PS Muthoni during her briefing.
