Citing the preliminary results of the 2021 Cambodia Demographic Health Survey, the agency said childhood stunting had decreased from 34 to 22 per cent between 2014 and 2021, but wasting has remained unchanged at 10 per cent. SUPPLIED
UNICEF is to expand its work supporting Cambodia in tackling child wasting across six provinces, saving an additional 5,200 lives over three years, thanks to a donation of over $3.4 million from the UK Children’s Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF).
In a September 9 press statement, UNICEF said the funding will be used to support the Ministry of Health as it scales up the prevention and treatment of wasting by improving essential primary health care services in Takeo, Kampong Thom, Siem Reap, Pursat, Kampong Chhnang and Oddar Meanchey provinces.
According to UNICEF, wasting – also known as acute malnutrition – afflicts one in ten Cambodian children under five years old. It is characterised by a low weight to height ratio. Citing the preliminary results of the 2021 Cambodia Demographic Health Survey, the agency said childhood stunting had decreased from 34 to 22 per cent between 2014 and 2021, but wasting has remained unchanged at 10 per cent.
“Wasting is usually related to the socioeconomic status of households, and is linked to food insecurity, suboptimal child feeding practices, lack of access to safe water, or poor sanitation or hygiene,” it said, adding that currently less than 10 per cent of the estimated 60,000 children suffering from wasting in Cambodia have access to treatment.
Foroogh Foyouzat, UNICEF’s representative in Cambodia, said that children suffering from wasting were up to eleven times more likely to pass away than well-nourished children.
“Those who survive may suffer from lifelong developmental challenges. The Cambodian Government and its partners have achieved a great deal by working together to reduce malnutrition, but 1 in 10 children still suffer from wasting in its most dangerous form.
“We must tackle this problem so that every child can enjoy the right to grow and thrive. We are grateful to CIFF for helping us get closer to achieving that goal,” she said.
According to UNICEF, Cambodia had established a roadmap which aimed to reduce the number of children with symptoms of wasting from 10 per cent to 5 per cent by 2025.The roadmap had identified a shortfall of more than $8 million in funding for the detection and treatment of wasting.
Therefore, this 3.4 million will contribute to quadrupling the number of severely wasted children receiving treatment, from 5,000 to 20,000 a year by 2025, as per the government’s target.
The donation will benefit more than 900,000 children under the age of five through the provision of improved screening, counselling, and growth monitoring and promotion services.
More than 500,000 parents and caregivers will also benefit from access to increased knowledge and tools to prevent the various forms of malnutrition.
