Lahja Nashuuta
The government is fighting tooth and nail to slow down the malnutrition rate in the Omaheke region, Prime Minister Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila assured.
She made the remarks on Thursday in the National Assembly while responding to a question posed by National Unity Democratic Organisation parliamentarian Joseph Kaundenge on the government’s plans to address malnutrition in the country.
The Prime Minister revealed that in the aftermath of several deaths associated with malnutrition, a collaborative initiative was launched and implemented by the government, the World Health Organisation as well as the health and poverty eradication ministries.
The initiative aimed to increase access to quality nutrition and protection services for vulnerable populations in the Omaheke, Khomas and Kunene regions.
In addition, it seeks to promote health, development and wellness, and contribute to the reduction of preventable deaths and inequities.
Since October 2024, 34 0 81.95 children under the age of five have been reached with nutrition interventions in the three targeted districts.
“The conditional basic income grant (CBIG) was rolled out to 20 urban and peri-urban areas from November to December 2024 to reach vulnerable households, resulting in an additional 15 000 households registered. A total of 21 697 households now receive the (CBIG) from the initial 8 328 households that were converted from the food bank,” she stated.
Kuugongelwa-Amadhila said the government has been implementing measures to ensure social protection for those with vulnerabilities (such as the elderly, those with disabilities, orphans and other vulnerable children as well as low-income earners).
Further, the government promotes food production to ensure national and household security, access to education and training as well as support to businesses, especially Micro, small and medium enterprises.
She revealed that earlier last year, the government constituted a multi-sectoral team to conduct an in-depth investigation in the Omaheke region following reported cases of malnutrition.
“The investigation recommended extending some ongoing interventions, which include the provision of medical care for malnourished, support to feeding programmes and soup kitchens and establishment of food production centres within the affected communities,” she said.
The Prime Minister noted that it is untrue that the government is not addressing malnutrition in the country.
Kuungongelwa-Amadhila maintained that the government has never been opposed to the implementation of the basic income grant to help fight poverty in the country.
“The government started to implement the CBIG, which commenced with former beneficiaries of the Food Bank countrywide, following the Cabinet decision to include the malnutrition households in the drought relief programme. To date, 1 835 malnourished households from five regions, namely //Kharas (744), Khomas (111), Omaheke (738), Omusati (86) and Oshana (175), have been assisted. Furthermore, about 23 soup kitchens are being supported through the drought relief programme in Omaheke region,” she shared.
Kuungongelwa-Amadhila said 1.4 million people of the 384 935 households across all 14 regions are beneficiaries of the drought relief programme.
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