Malombe basks in glory of better nutrition

Kitui tops list counties
with improved nutrition

By Agencies

KITUI Governor Dr Julius Malombe today basked in the glory of being leader of a county with most improved nutritional status of its population.

CS Wafula and Dr. Malombe

Governor Malombe received accolades from the Ministry of Health and development partners for the county’s performance in the project that he initiated a year before he left office in 2016. Malombe employed Community Health Volunteers (CHVs) then, now referred to as Community Health Promoters (CHPs) who are the main contributors of the improvement.

Stakeholders were impressed by Kitui’s reduction in stunting from 45.8% to 25.1% presently making the county top in Kenya. Though no attribution was made during the event, it cannot be rebutted that his successor- Mrs. Charity Ngilu carried on the vision, resulting in the current improvement.

The county has made significant strides in improving the nutritional status of its population, according to the latest Kenya Health Demographics report by the Ministry of Health. Observers see this as an indicator in the management of county governments and could be listed among the successes of devolution as it enters its 11th year.

This was announced during the Nutrition Improvement Through Cash and Health Education (NICHE) meeting held in Mombasa today and graced by Health CS Dr. Nakhumicha Wafula, Labour and Social Protection CS Florence Bore and Governors of 5 selected counties (Kitui, Kilifi, Turkana, West Pokot and Marsabit),

The project aims at ensuring most vulnerable children in the intervention areas show improved wellbeing in areas of nutrition, socio protection and child protection.

The rationale for selecting the 5 counties was the prevailing high rates of chronic (stunting) and acute malnutrition affecting children aged below 5 years.

Other Governors in attendance included CoG Vice Chairperson and Wajir Governor Ahmed Abdullahi, Marsabit’s Mohamud Ali, West Pokot’s Simon Kachapin among others.

The Anchor