Malnutrition

By: Andalib Azfar Chowdhury

Nafi Bin Riaz
Rafia Farha
Iqbal Ahmed
Muntasir Mahmud Khan

Introduction
One

of the major problems the world

is still facing in this 21st century.
In 2006 about 58 percent of total
deaths are caused by malnutrition.
According to the World Health
Organization, malnutrition is the
biggest contributor tochild mortality
Six million children die of hunger
every year.

Population Suffering from Malnutrition

(In Percentage)

Malnutrition
Condition

that develops when the

body does not get the right amount
of thevitamins minerals, and other
nutrients it needs to maintain
healthy tissues and organ function.

Under

Nutrition
Over Nutrition

Current Status of
Malnutrition
Protein energy malnutrition current status :
PEM knows as PCM. 3 forms affect 107% of
children under 5 years of age.
Women Malnutrition: In the world India currently
has one of the highest rates of malnourished
women among
70 % non-pregnant
75% pregnant

Current Status of
Malnutrition
Slum

& Child Malnutrition

:malnutrition kills 56,000 children
annually in urban slums in India.

Malnutrition Status in
Bangladesh
Bangladesh

has a high child mortality rate and is

ranked 57 in the under-5 mortality rank. As 40% of
the population in Bangladesh are children
malnutrition.
The world bank estimates that Bangladesh is
ranked 1st in the world of the number of children
suffering from malnutrition. 26% of the population
are undernourished

Current Status of
Malnutrition
Efforts

to combat malnutrition: Like

UNICEF Many programmers and efforts have
been implemented to solve the problem of
malnutrition in Bangladesh. Night blindness
has reduced from 3.76% to 0.04%

Organizations

and individuals involved in

generating the joint estimates on child
malnutrition: More recently, during the 2012
World Health Assembly (WHA), a 13-year
comprehensive implementation plan (20122025) to address maternal, infant and child
nutrition was endorsed.

Existing Policies

Bangladesh Civil Society Network for

Promoting Nutrition (BCSNPN) acts as
the nutrition watch network which aims
to create awareness and promote the
eradication of malnutrition in
Bangladesh

They bring together the civil society

members for working together
effectively

National Nutrition Program

The

National Nutrition Program initiated by the

Bangladesh National Nutrition Council provides
comprehensive nutrition services to around 29
million people at community level

The

NNP was disbanded in 2011 and the

government began to mainstream the nutrition
services mainly driven by an expansion of
community clinics run by the Ministry of Health

This

project was funded by the World Bank and

16 other donors.

Health Population & Nutrition

Sector Development Program
2011-2016
Responsible

Body:Planning wing of
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare

Objective:Stimulation

of demand and
improvement of access to and utilization of
Health Population and Nutrition services in
order to reduce morbidity and mortality; and
reduce population growth rate and improve
nutritional status, especially of women and
children.

National Communication Framework and Plan of

Action on Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF) 2010

Responsible

Body:Institute of Public
Health and Nutrition Directorate General of
Health Services, Ministry of Health and
Family Welfare

Objective:

Component of national IYCF

strategy, which aims to improve nutritional
status, growth and development, health, and
survival of infants and young children in
Bangladesh through optimal IYCF practices.

National Guidelines for

Management of Severely
Malnourished Children in
Bangladesh 2008
Responsible

Body:Institute of Public Health

Nutrition, Directorate General of Health Services,
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare

Objective:Provides

guidancefor doctors, senior

nurses and other senior health professionals
responsible for inpatient therapeutic care of
severely malnourished children in health facilities.
National guidelines are based on the global
guidelines of the World Health Organization, which
have been adapted, where necessary, to the
context of Bangladesh.

National Strategy for Anemia Prevention and Control

in Bangladesh 2007

Responsible

Body:Institute of Public
Health and Nutrition, Directorate General of
Health Services, Ministry of Health and
Family Welfare

Objective:

Reduction of anemia in high-risk

groups by one-quarter by 2015.

Indicator:Anemia

prevalence

Recommendation
The

Bangladesh Integrated National Plan was

ineffective due to lack of effective empowerment
and political coordination from the managing
body (Bangladesh National Nutrition Council)

The

country spent 0.03% of GDP instead of the

target of 0.5%.

We

recommend that reforms should be done in

part of the government to successfully carry out
the plans and to increase communication as well
as empowerment with the governing bodies.

Multisectoral Approach

The

policy was followed by the National

Nutrition Program which lacked in
therapeutic malnutrition treatment and a
multisectoral approach was still not properly
implemented leading UNICEF to report that
only 20% of the severely malnourished
children will be treated in health facilities.

Multisectoral Approach

Spirulina- The new spinach!

A

new super food known as spirulina, an

aquatic micro-organism, can be used as a
cheap and effective alternative to combat
malnutrition in our country

It

is 60% complete protein and a rich source

of other vitamins and minerals as well. One
gram per day is enough to treat severe
malnutrition in a child in a few weeks

Spirulina
It

is relatively simple to cultivate and

investment is low so it can be a growing
rural industry and provide income for the
rural people.

Conclusion
Malnutrition is the cause of more than half of all child deaths
worldwide. Malnourished children have lowered resistance to
infection. The actual number of malnourished children is still rising
in many underdeveloped and developing countries.
Malnutrition causes a great deal of physical and emotional
suffering and it is a violation of a child's human rights. Combating
child malnutrition is of great importance to the future economic and
social welfare of countries.
Around 925million undernourished people in the world in 2010,
an increase of 80million since 1990, are per year admitted to
hospital while suffering from malnutrition, and that is something
that needs to change.
We hope that by working closely with hospitals, GP surgeries and
care homes we can tackle this important problem and make the
world a better place.