Photo of the week: Kwashiorcor threatens more than 50% of children in Kayanza

Health officials in Kayanza province (northern Burundi) are giving a warning: more than 50% children are affected by Kwashiorcor in the province. Entire families report not being able to afford nutrient-dense meals to feed their children. Everyone fears that the situation will get worse.

INFO SOS Médias Burundi

It was after figures consulted by health officials in the province and the situation in families with children that our reporters went to the field to see the facts.

“There are many children with Kwashiorcor in households,” they realized.

Parents report not having enough meals to feed their children.

“Not only do we lack sufficient meals, but also the little we find is not rich in nutrients, as recommended to us when we go to the hospital,” they lament.

As for health officials in the province, they say that more than 50% of children received since January 2024 have Kwashiorcor.

The figures are so high that the situation is worrying.

“We are worried about the future of children and the country in general. Malnutrition is a bad sign for the future of the country. If parents are not able to feed their children well, the country’s authority should take rapid intervention measures through partners or through its own funds,” indicate observers in Kayanza.

The provincial health directorate says it has called health workers to mobilize while awaiting measures from hierarchical authority.

Our photo: A Burundian child suffering from malnutrition (SOS Médias Burundi)