Action Against Hunger Country Representative provides an insight of the Liberia Water and Sanitation Hygiene Consortium Research on Nutrition Causal analysis
The Chairman of the Liberia WASH consortium who doubles as the country representative (CR) of Action Against Hunger, Mohammed Takoy, has disclosed that the Liberia WASH consortium is in the process of planning an intervention in in some counties aimed at tackling malnutrition related problems.
With support from Irish Aid, the consortium recently completed an eight months (8) formative research on nutrition causal analysis in five counties, i.e. Grand Bassa, Sinoe, River Cess, Montserado, Grand Cape Mount counties. The AAH Country Representative said that, the research was purposely intended to find out the underlying issues responsible for chronic malnutrition in Liberia.
The key findings of the research included; limited access to health and nutrition services, low purchasing power and inaccessibility to food and markets, limited access to adequate water and sanitation services. People may have the knowledge but they don’t have adequate access to the basic services.
When asked why the research was conducted in few selected counties, Mr. Takoy said it was due to funding constraints. He furthered that, there is a lot of good will on the part of Irish Aid in supporting government through the Liberia WASH Consortium for an integrated program on nutrition to address a sustainable reduction of chronic malnutrition in Liberia
The AAH CR said that the research was based on several factors, including the findings from the comprehensive food security and nutrition survey report of 2018, Liberia demographic health survey of 2013 as well as the consortium own reports on the nutrition situation.
The assessment report has ever since then been launched and disseminated among the key stakeholders, department of Nutrition – Ministry of Health, Multi sectorial stakeholders under the umbrella of Multi-stakeholders platform (MSP) as well as with the Legislators-the committee on health and WASH,, Takoy asserted.
“We have not commenced the program as yet because it is in the planning stage, it needs to be approved”, He noted.
The Country Representative disclosed that, there has been no fixed financial commitment from donors at the moment, but went further to say that they are looking up to Irish Aid and other donors to support the efforts of national government in addressing the challenges of mal nutrition and its related causes.
“The implementation of the integrated program might not cover up the 5 counties where the research was carried out, but the consortium will reach out to other donors to support the program”.
On the issue of breast-feeding, Mr. Takoy said it is part of the Liberia WASH Consortium focus of the integrated program on nutrition.
“In our integrated program on nutrition we described as the Maternal and Child Health and nutrition, that includes maternal and infant young child feeding practices” He noted that promoting optimum breast feeding is key in child’s health as recommended by the World Health Organization, UNICEF and the Ministry of Health guidelines.
“As part of our program, it is focused on promoting complimentary feeding and continue breast feeding after 6 months, with timely complimentary feeding”
The AAH Country Representative indicated maternal and young child feeding is a package under the integrated health and nutrition been design by the Liberia WASH Consortium.
He was quick to point out that maternal and young child feeding will be addressed at health care service points and community levels with focus on access to Health and Nutrition, diversified food through food security ensuring that communities are able to produce diversify food and nutrients that are required for the child and mother.
Mr. Takoy noted that water, sanitation and hygiene is also part of the proposed program creating access to clean and safe drinking water, focusing on sustainable hygiene and sanitation .
He also revealed that strengthening of governance and infrastructure at sub national and community levels are core component of the integrated program calling on government to prioritize infrastructure development with people especially rural dwellers having limited access to food and markets.
He disclosed that the program which is at a proposal stage is a 4 year program expected to commence from October 2020 to 2024- but subject to funding.
