[pronut-hiv] MADAGASCAR: Aid needed now to save hungry children

["ProNut-HIV" <pronut-hiv@healthnet.org>]

JOHANNESBURG, 16 Nov 2005 (IRIN) - Alarming results from a recent survey
in Madagascar shows that malnutrition levels have reached up to 74
percent in some parts of the remote southeastern region of the country.

According to the study conducted by the Ministry of Health, the United
Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and a number of local NGOs, 400
children were already suffering from acute malnutrition and would die in
the next few weeks if interventions were not put in place.

"The statistics are so high, I am worried that people might not even
find them credible," UNICEF's Nutrition Officer, Dr Paula Valenti, told
IRIN. 

The rapid assessment study surveyed the southeastern Vangaindrano region
and uncovered malnutrition rates estimated at 50 percent, affecting over
14,000 children.

Valenti said the survey results were provisional, but "we are sure there
is a big problem - and what worries me most is the high percentage of
children in the 'severe malnutrition' scale."

The root cause of Vangaindrano's chronic malnutrition is poor food
security. Households are primarily dependent on farming, making their
livelihoods extremely vulnerable to climatic conditions.

Flooding in early 2005, regular cyclones, parasitic infestation of sweet
potato crops and now a drought affecting rice production meant the local
population was struggling for survival, Valenti said. People have
resorted to scavenging for wild roots, which were potentially poisonous
if not properly prepared.

High transportation costs and the remoteness of many affected areas made
the movement of food extremely difficult, aggravating the already
precarious situation.

Income in the region has dropped sharply as a result of falling world
commodity prices. The study noted that nearly half the population was
forced to purchase food on credit.

The southeastern part of the island is heavily dependent on cash crops
such as coffee, cloves and, particularly, vanilla. The price of vanilla
had fallen from about US $180 per kg in 2004 to just $50 per kg in early
2005.

-----------------------------------
Eleonore Fosso  Seumo, Ph.D.
Senior Technical Officer
Global Health Population & Nutrition - AED
1825 Connecticut Ave., NW
Washington DC 20009 5721

Tel: 202-884 8155
Fax: 202-884 8977
Email:eseumo@aed.org
www.aed.org