The Issues

The Issues

UNICEF in Action

UNICEF in Action

 

The Issues

Infants and young children who are not breastfed, and especially exclusive breastfed, for the first six months after birth are more at risk of getting sick and dying. The risk increases, if complementary feeding is introduced inadequately, if a child is malnourished and if his or her food lacks micronutrients - vital vitamins and minerals in small doses. The lack of micronutrients affects the child’s future and leads to such consequences as poor learning abilities, lowered productivity and damage to intellectual and social development. Malnutrition is an underlying cause of 60% of deaths among children under five.

According to a Damage Assessment Report on micronutrient deficiencies in Kyrgyzstan, if no action is taken to overcome this problem:

•  Approximately 40% to 60% of the nation’s 6 to 24-month-old children will continue to be at risk of disrupted brain development as a result of iron deficiency.
• More than 20,000 Kyrgyz babies will continue to be born each year with intellectual impairment caused by iodine deficiency during pregnancy,
•  Almost 300 children will die each year because of  vulnerability to infection caused by vitamin A deficiency.
• Almost 20% of Kyrgyzstan’s children will grow up with lowered immunity, leading to frequent ill health and poor growth as a result of vitamin A deficiency.
•  Several young Kyrgyz women will die each year during pregnancy and childbirth as a result of severe iron deficiency anaemia.
•  An estimated 1,000 Kyrgyz infants each year will continue to be at risk of death immediately before and after birth due to their mothers’ severe anaemia.
•  Approximately 150 children will be born with severe birth defects each year, including infantile paralysis, as a result of folate deficiency, which is also suspected to contribute to deaths from heart disease and stroke.
•  The country will continue to suffer from low productivity in its adult workforce. Iron and iodine deficiency are thought to cost Kyrgyzstan almost 1% of annual GDP -  about 941 million soms.
•  Micronutrient deficiencies will continue to put a burden on national health services and education systems, as well as on families and communities caring for children  with disabilities.

Only 35.6% of infants are exclusively breastfed until months of age and 27.7% are breastfed along with proper complementary feeding (from 6 to 20-23 months).

Around 90% of the population is aware that consumption of iodised salt helps to prevent iodine deficiency disorders. Almost all salt consumed by the population is iodized, but still only 78% contains a sufficient amount of iodine in it.

92% of children under five and post-partum women received Vitamin A capsules in 2004 (Report on Vitamin A Campaign of 2004)

Half of all children under three years of age and one third of children under five suffer from iron deficiency anaemia. (UNICEF assessment of Vitamin A deficiency prevalence, KAN/UNICEF CARK, 2003). Up to 38% of women suffer from anaemia which undermines the health of their babies.  (DHS, 1997). Only 13% of households consume flour that is fortified with iron (UNICEF Survey, 2004).