The director of the Nutrition and Food Security Alliance of Namibia (NAFSAN) Ben Schernick says undernutrition in the form of stunting or wasting seriously impacts health.

He told New Era this happens while affected individuals are vulnerable to additional health conditions, and many children die of malnutrition in hospitals every year.

According to the latest data from the Namibia Demographic and Health Survey, one in four children is stunted, with current estimates in the recent Cost of Hunger Study (COHA, 2022) soaring as high as 34.4%.

“Stunting causes delays in child development, which are irreversible after the age of two. It leads to long-term health risks and earlier deaths, as well as lower IQ, higher repetition rates in school, reduced productivity, and less income potential for adults,” stated Shernick.

He said as Namibia faces another drought, the previous estimated 695 000 Namibians said to be highly food-insecure earlier this year may easily rise to more than a million.

He added: “This form of malnutrition is called undernutrition, and it sadly coexists alongside hidden hunger (‘micronutrient deficiencies’, often caused by a lack of vegetables and fruits in our diets) and also overnutrition. We refer to this phenomenon as the ‘triple burden of malnutrition’, as it not only impacts Namibians’ health and well-being, but also incurs significant social and economic costs.”

Shernick noted that increased investment in early childhood development services, support for maternal health and breastfeeding practices, and practical education about and access to nutritious food are necessary key interventions.

He said overnutrition, in the form of overweight or obesity, is affecting more and more Namibians, leading to serious diet-related chronic diseases, including type 2 diabetes, hypertension, high blood pressure and increased risks of cardiovascular diseases, stroke and cancer.

Shernick said this often requires lifelong medication, which adds huge costs and places immense pressure on public and private healthcare systems. 

The crucial period to prevent and treat all forms of malnutrition in life is the “first 1 000 days” from conception (during pregnancy) until a child’s second birthday. Recognising the significance of this crucial window in a child’s life, various government ministries, UN agencies, civil society, and private sector entities initiated the “RightStart” campaign.

Shernick stated that addressing the complex and multidimensional challenge of malnutrition requires a proper understanding of the issue, and collaborative action by stakeholders across all sectors. It also needs long-term commitments, investments, smart coordination, strong political will and leadership.