PRESS RELEASE

Irish government provides K80m for nutrition efforts

Irish Aid has provided K80 million to the Government of Malawi, through UNICEF, in support of efforts to eliminate micronutrient malnutrition.

Micronutrient malnutrition is one of the major public health concerns in Malawi. Deficiencies of vitamin A, iron, and iodine contribute to reduced immunity, impaired intellectual development and reduced work capacity. Increased morbidity and mortality, especially among women and children is also associated with micronutrient deficiencies.

Signing a tripartite Memorandum of Understanding, the Irish Ambassador to Malawi, Liam MacGabhann explained that Ireland was happy with progress to date to tackle food insecurity and malnutrition.” The Government of Malawi has shown great leadership in addressing these problems.  The Embassy will continue to work with Government of Malawi to address these issues.”

The funding assistance provided by Irish Aid will assist the Government of Malawi in conducting a national micronutrient survey, the last having been done in 2001. It will further assist the government in implementing a pilot programme for the fortification of sugar with Vitamin A.

“This funding will enable us put a lot of structures in place and also provide a basis for planning and future interventions to address the nutritional needs of women and children,” noted Principal Secretary for Nutrition, HIV and AIDS Dr Mary Shawa.

The findings from the pilot sugar fortification will guide the large scale implementation of this important programme at national level.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, UNICEF’s Resident Representative Ms. Aida Girma noted that the vision of the Malawi Growth and Development Strategy is a disease free nation, realization of which requires adequate investments in human capacity development, especially in women and young children and particularly under-fives who constitute about 17 per cent of the population.  “These children are the future of this country. Building the foundations of a healthy and prosperous Malawi must begin with improving their nutritional status.”

Irish Aid is the aid programme administered by the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs through its Embassies. Recently opened in Malawi its focus is agriculture, food security and governance.  

For more information, contact:
For more information, contact:
Susan Muguro, Communication Officer, UN in Malawi on (265) 09967 991, susan.muguro@undp.org.