04-03-2024 | di COOPI

RDC. Angel and Julie win the battle against malnutrition.

In the province of Kasai, in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the situation of food insecurity continues to be alarming, with serious consequences for the health of children and local communities. Thanks to the commitment of COOPI - Cooperazione Internazionale and the funding from UNICEF, significant progress has been made in the fight against malnutrition.

COOPI's project, "Management and Prevention of Severe Acute Malnutrition in 4 zones of Kasai Orientale and two zones of Kasai Centrale province", which took place from June 2023 to the end of February 2024, aims to raise awareness among parents about the importance of proper nutrition and promote good feeding practices for infants, children, and pregnant women. Additionally, the project focuses on the care and treatment of children already affected by acute malnutrition in order to reduce mortality rates associated with this condition.

 

During the nine months of the project, 280 infants under the age of six months were screened, 29 of whom received treatment in the Intensive Nutritional Therapy Unit under the supervision of hospital doctors and nutritionists. By February, 24 of these children had already been discharged. Among them are the stories of Angel and Julie, who regained health and proper nutrition thanks to medical support.

 

Angel was 40 months old and lived with her family in the city of Dibindi, Kasai-Oriental, in conditions of extreme poverty. Thanks to the intervention of the COOPI team and the support of local healthcare professionals, Angel was identified as suffering from severe acute malnutrition. Despite the initial hesitations of the parents due to shame and social concerns, with the information provided by healthcare workers, the family consented to the treatment for the child, and in December 2023, Angel was admitted to the Intensive Nutritional Therapy Unit of the hospital. After six days of intensive care, her condition improved significantly, and after 38 days of outpatient care, she was declared fully recovered.

In Kasai Centrale, in the Bobozo health zone, Julie, who was 20 months old, was also diagnosed with severe acute malnutrition. Due to an early pregnancy, Julie's mother had to stop breastfeeding ten months after Julie's birth, and facing severe economic difficulties, she couldn't provide adequate nutrition for her. After seven days of intensive care and two months of outpatient treatment, Julie made a full recovery in February.

The families of Angel and Julie deeply thanked COOPI, the healthcare team, and the funder for saving the lives of their children and many other children suffering from malnutrition in the province of Kasai.

COOPI has been present in the Democratic Republic of Congo since 1977, combating malnutrition by providing prevention, assistance, and nutritional security to thousands of malnourished children and mothers. To promote nutritional security, COOPI works on various fronts, from assisting children with severe malnutrition to awareness campaigns on good breastfeeding and feeding practices.