MALI / MALNUTRITION

UNICEF and the European Union are supporting a nutrition program in Mali. The two-year food facility program aims to help monitor malnutrition among children and women and manage the treatment of acute and severe acute malnutrition. UNICEF

• Categories: News & Features / News Stories / Unifeed
• Video Length: 00:02:08
• Production Date: 3 June 2010
• Asset Language: Original
• Corporate Name: UNITED NATIONS CHILDREN'S FUND - UNICEF
• Subject Topical: HEALTH; NUTRITION
• Geographic Subject: MALI
• MAMS Id: U100603d

Description

STORY: MALI / MALNUTRITION
TRT: 2.08
SOURCE: UNICEF
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: FRENCH / NATS

DATELINE: MAY 2010, SIKASSO, MALI

Shotlist

1. Wide shot, women working in fields
2. Close up, women working in fields
3. Med shot, mother and children waiting for screening
4. Med shot, child being weighed
5. Pan right, from visiting delegates to nurse
6. Med shot, visiting delegates in group at screening
7. Close up, child’s arm being measured
8. Close up, weighing apparatus
9. SOUNDBITE: (French) Marcel Rudasingwa, UNICEF, Mali:
“The partnership between the European Union and UNICEF has been a model in Sikasso at two levels. Firstly addressing the problem, offering a lot of families and children access to treatment against malnutrition; but at the same time emphasizing the role of communication and information for changing behavior in communities.”
10. Med shot child and mother sitting on bed in ward
11. Close up, green mug spoon enters frame
12. Close up, child’s face spoon with food enters frame
13. Med shot mother’s face
14. Med shot, mother spoon feeding child
15. SOUNDBITE (French) Giacomo Durazzo, Head of European Union Delegation, Mali:
“What’s important, especially in the fight to prevent this phenomenon, is for example: supporting a change in attitude, in the cultural behaviour of people, in eating habits, in the role of women and management of child nutrition."
16. Close up, vaccines on ice
17. Med shot, nurse administering vaccine drop
18. Med shot, doctor advising group of mothers
19. Wide shot, doctor in background advising mothers
20. Tilt down, from mothers to child in mother’s arms
21.“All actors need to contribute; because if we try to limit ourselves solely to health activities then you’re only reaching those already suffering. But you have to act beforehand. You need to be pre-emptive and that’s a multi-sector fight.”
22. Close up, Plumpy nut in child’s hand
23. Close up, mother looking beyond frame
24. Close up, child eating Plumpy nut

Storyline

In Mali’s south, the Sikasso region is rich in fertile soil and one of the country’s main agricultural producing areas.

But despite the region’s capacity to feed its people, the children of Sikasso are suffering from alarmingly high rates of malnutrition. Fifteen percent of children-under-five in Sikasso Region are malnourished. Last year nearly 40-thousand cases of acute malnutrition were reported in the region.

To observe conditions first hand, a joint mission of UNICEF and the European Commission recently toured the Sikasso region.The European Commission has provided six-point-eight million euros from the EU’s Food Facility funds to support UNICEF’s nutrition program in Mali.

The program aims to help monitoring of malnutrition among children and women, and help treat cases of acute and severe acute malnutrition.

SOUNDBITE (French) Marcel Rudasingwa, UNICEF Country Representative, Mali:
“The partnership between the European Union and UNICEF has been a model in Sikasso at two levels. Firstly addressing the problem - offering a lot of families and children access to treatment against malnutrition, but at the same time, emphasizing the role of communication and information for changing behaviour in communities.”

In Mali, infant mortality remains high. One in five children will not reach their fifth birthday. Malnutrition is one of the leading contributing causes of infant deaths.

Rising food prices often force families to make difficult choices about the quality and quantity of food to feed their children.

SOUNDBITE (French) Giacomo Durazzo, Head of European Union Delegation, Mali:
“I think what’s important is especially the fight in preventing this phenomenon and that means for example: supporting a change in attitude, in the cultural behavior of people, in eating habits, in the role of women and management of child nutrition."

Along with supporting preventative measures such as de-worming and vaccinations, UNICEF and its partners are supporting the Malian government to promote immediate exclusive breastfeeding and collect accurate data on child nutrition.

Families are also being urged to bring their children to clinics as early as possible to detect signs of malnutrition.

SOUNDBITE (French) Dr. Teme Sodyougo, Regional Director of Health, Sikasso:
“All actors need to contribute; because if we try to limit ourselves solely to health activities then you’re only reaching those already suffering. But you have to act beforehand. You need to be pre-emptive and that’s a multi-sector fight.”

Malnutrition affecting children in Sikasso remains a paradox in the nation’s bread basket. UNICEF is confident that international partners working with Mali’s health authorities can help reverse the trend of malnutrition and offer children a better start in life.