Lubango – An Operational Research Project against Chronic Child Malnutrition in Angola, called "Crescer", has been launched in Huila Province, with focus on the incidence of malnutrition in the southern region of the country.
The actions will be implemented from October 10, in the communes of Jamba and Libongue (Chicomba), in Huila, and in November, in Otchinjau (Cahama) and Mupa (Cuvelai), in Cunene, in a total of 102 selected villages.
The project is expected to benefit 12,000 vulnerable families, especialy children aged five or below and pregnant women, in four communes of Huila and Cunene Municipality.
The initiative is the fourth component of the Strengthening Resilience and Food and Nutritional Security Programme (FRESAN), with a 6.8 million Euros budget funded by the European Union to be implemented over four years.
The information was disclosed by the general coordinator of the project, Elena Trigo, during the opening of the six days training of 68 surveyors from medical students to Health and Community Development Agents.
Elena Trigo added that the Huila and Cunene provinces have high chronic child malnutrition rate, thus the concern, since the disease delays the cognitive development of the person.
Trigo said the idea is to identify an intervention that can stop and prevent chronic malnutrition and neurological damage in the development of the children with the disease.