U.S. donates ready-to-use therapeutic food for malnourished children.
By Michel Haoses
In the wake of the drought situation in Southern Africa, the U.S. government handed over 14 metric tons of Ready-to-Use (RUTF) therapeutic food to the Ministry of Health and Social Services on Thursday, to provide lifesaving assistance to at least 1000 children from severe acute malnutrition.
This donation forms part of an agreement between the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and Chevron which has committed US$300,000 (approximately N$5.6 million) to support water access projects and US$55,000 (approximately N$1 million) for emergency drought relief.
U.S. Ambassador to Namibia, Randy Berry, shared statistics on the devastatingly low levels of Namibia’s national strategic food reserve and the Integrated Food Security Classification Reports that state “one in five Namibians goes to bed regularly on a hungry stomach and is considered food insecure”.
“These are not just numbers, they are alarming statistics that demand our immediate attention,” Berry said, further adding, “We must act now, both in the long term with climate change mitigation and adaptation measures, and immediately to provide to those in urgent need, particularly malnourished vulnerable populations”.
Accepting the donation was Deputy Minister of Health and Social Services, Hon. Ester Muinjangue who expressed gratitude for the donation and further emphasised the importance of the therapeutic food reaching the intended and not just being stored.
Deputy Minister of Health and Social Services, Hon. Ester Muinjangue, and U.S. Ambassador Randy Berry presenting’ some of the 14 ton of emergency therapeutic food.
