Nearly 1 500 children in South Africa have died over the past two years due to acute malnutrition, Cape {town} Etc reports.
Provinces that have had the most reported cases of children dying due to malnutrition include the Eastern Cape, Limpopo, KwaZulu-Natal, the Free State and Gauteng.
In KwaZulu-Natal, 265 child deaths caused by acute malnutrition were reported, while in Limpopo, 230 children reportedly died due to acute malnutrition. Meanwhile, in the Eastern Cape, 190 children died, 172 children in Gauteng died and 121 children in the Free State.
Provinces with the lowest reported cases of acute malnutrition include the Western Cape, the North West, the Northern Cape and Mpumalanga, as reported by Netwerk24.
Between 1 January 2023 and 8 November of this year, 304 children have died due to moderate acute malnutrition, while 1 153 children have died due to serious acute malnutrition, according to Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, minister of health.
The South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) has previously stated that children in provinces, such as the Eastern Cape, suffer and die from malnutrition due to ‘insufficient allowances’.
SAHRC Commissioner Jonas Sibanyoni stated that insufficient allowances and the inefficiency of the National School Nutrition Programme (NSNP) contribute to the problem.
To address the problem, the SAHRC has proposed that child allowances should be increased to R510.
In addition, the SAHRC also recommended that the government extend the school feeding schemes during the weekends and holidays so that vulnerable children can have access to food.
Michéle Clarke, the Democratic Alliance’s shadow minister of health, said that at least one in four children in South Africa is stunted, which is a ‘direct result of malnutrition’.
‘What is more concerning is that stunting is on the increase,’ said Clarke.
‘It is clear that urgent intervention is needed and that the department of health must strengthen its links with community outreach programmes to reach and assist as many acutely malnutritioned children as possible to prevent further complications,’ Clarke added.
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