Mir Anwar
Pediatric Infectious Diseases Specialist
Title: Malnutrition in Children- South Africa’s Present Scenario
Biography
Biography: Mir Anwar
Abstract
Malnutrition occurs when an individual’s dietary intake is not balanced with nutritional needs.More than 75% of the children admitted in Public Hospital of sub-Saharan Africa for any reason are suffering from Malnutrition. 15% of South African infants are born with a low birth weight. the fact that 25% of pre-school children and 20% of primary school children in South Africa suffered from malnutrition.
Since 2011 to 2016 over the period of 6 years we followed total Paediatric admission in Stanger Hospital, KZN province, South Africa .Average annual admission is around 1400-1500(excluding neonates) in Paediatric wards, Around 9000 over last six years, female child are predominant, female and male ratio was found 60:40.The prevalence of malnutrition in South Africa varies across different geographical areas and socio-economic groups [1] Many infants in Africa suffer from malnutrition because their mothers do not breastfeed them. The 2010 South Africa Department of Health Study found that 30.2% of pregnant women in South Africa have AIDS and they are reluctant to Breast feed their children.
Malnutrition is an underlying cause of severe poverty in Sub –Sharan Africa.[7] According to statistics from the year 2000, 50% of the South African population is under the poverty line.The World Health Organization showed that over the span of thirteen years (1995 to 2008), the deviation from the average height of children under age five in South Africa has decreased from 28.7% to 23.9%.The approach of Dietician and Pediatrician to fight back Malnutrition problems is a major problem in Africa, which is an ongoing effort.