Connecting the dots for healthy children
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© UNICEF Swaziland 2007 JKim |
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After receiving therapeutic food, Thandolwethu who weighed 5.4kg when first seen at the hospital now weighs 6.4kg and is fast approaching her target weight of 7.4kg. |
Connecting the Dots for Healthy Children
Mbabane, September 2007 – The nurse connects the most recent dot on the chart, creating a slow, but steady line that rises toward the top of the page. She places the chart back in the clear, protective folder and pins it to the wall behind the bed. Mothers gather around with smiles, following the line with their fingers, smiling.
“For each case of malnutrition, the nurses weigh the child regularly and chart the child’s weight, posting it on the wall,” says Thandi Kunene, the dietitian in the paediatric ward at Mbabane Government Hospital, Swaziland’s main referral hospital. “It’s easy to see if a child is gaining or losing weight. The mothers can see this too, and they give encouragement to each other. They all hope for those lines that climb and climb.”
More of those lines seem to be on the rise these days. With support from UNICEF and the Swaziland National Nutrition Council, Mbabane Government Hospital is now a therapeutic feeding site, offering special therapeutic food for children who are malnourished. The food stabilizes the child’s system and is packed with nutrients to help them gain weight quickly. As a complement to therapeutic feeding, the World Food Programme (WFP) has set up supplementary feeding sites throughout the country.
Sixteen-month-old Thandolwethu’s chart is one her mother can be proud of. Weighing just 5.4 kilos when she was admitted, Thandolwethu now weights 6.4 kilos and is fast approaching her target weight of 7.4. Her mother reports that Thando is happy again and even plays and sings in her hospital bed.
There are too many children like Thando in Swaziland. The country’s current drought, one of the worst in years, has left more than 40% of the population in need of food aid. Infants and young children that are still developing, and especially those that may be sick with other diseases, are the most severely impacted by a lack of food.
“The new therapeutic food is truly helping these children,” says Dr. Akingba, head of the paediatric ward at the Hospital. “But malnutrition does not occur in isolation; each case of malnutrition tells us a story, of HIV, of TB, of infection. Helping the child gain weight will make their body stronger so they can fight back against whatever other diseases are also attacking.”
But even a strong body is defenseless against poverty. “We don’t want to create a revolving door situation,” says Dr. Akingba. “Even if a child is ready to be released we don’t like to discharge them until we know they can continue good health at home. We don’t just want to see them back in a few weeks because they went home to no food.”
To help alleviate this, UNICEF is working closely with WFP to create a map of the complementary feeding sites in the country. This will help mothers know where to go for assistance should they find themselves in trouble once they get back home.
“We try to assess the situation at home,” says Thandi, “and do nutritional counseling with each of the mothers to teach them how to keep their babies healthy. We try to educate mothers on the importance of nutritious food and give them easy things they can do, even with a limited amount at home.”
Thandolwethu’s mother recently received counseling so that she understands how important nutrition is to keep her baby healthy.
“Now I know what my baby needs and I know the early signs if she is not doing well,” she says. “I also know where I can go to receive food if I need help. And I will bring my daughter straight back to the hospital if she gets sick again, but I know this time she won’t.”
