Doctors at Akobo County Hospital say that the hospital has been receiving large numbers of malnourished people, mostly children, with a biweekly average of 43 severe cases of under five children and pregnant and lactating women.
The Hospital Director Dr. Elijah Riek said that the hospital is due to launch a Smart Survey and sensitization program next week on malnutrition throughout the county. He added that the program will educate the people on malnutrition and at the same time help the hospital administration record the actual number of patients with malnutrition in the county.
Elijah said the increased number of cases is due to poor feeding habits among pregnant mothers, factors like bleeding among women during birth due to underage pregnancy, harsh work and traditional taboos where women are not allowed to eat some high-proteins giving foods like eggs and fresh fish.
The hospital official thanked efforts made by their partners IMC, UNICEF, World Food Program, Save the Children International and Nile Hope Development Forums for assistance. For example, he said beneficiaries in the county received some foods like corn, soya blend, and plumpy nut.
However, he stated some irregularities in supply of the foodstuffs by the partners, which might be caused by delay of clearance in Juba or seasonal hazards like rain, hinder transportation to beneficiaries.