Tanzanian resorts to early prevention, treatment of malnutrition for its U-5 child
DODOMA: THE Tanzanian government is strengthening prevention, early detection and treatment of malnutrition at healthcare facilities and community level to reduce its complications and preventable deaths, particularly among children under five years of age.
Government Chief Medical Officer Prof. Bruno Sunguya said this during discussions on the national nutrition plan and strategy before the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Health and HIV/AIDS on October 15, 2026.
Prof. Sunguya said early detection and appropriate treatment of children with malnutrition were essential to preventing complications that could affect their physical growth, cognitive development and overall health.
He said the government was implementing the 2025 National Guidelines for the Prevention and Management of Wasting and Nutritional Oedema in Children Under Five, which had been distributed across all 26 regions to strengthen services for children affected by these conditions.
To build the capacity of healthcare providers, Prof. Sunguya said 267 professionals had received training during the first phase in Tanga, Dodoma, Arusha, Kilimanjaro, Singida, Lindi and Simiyu regions. He added that the ministry was expanding the training programme and improving the availability of supplies needed to treat malnutrition.
He further said the ministry, in collaboration with stakeholders, had procured 2,585 cartons of vitamin and mineral supplements for preparing therapeutic food at healthcare facilities, as well as 2,150 boxes of ready-to-use therapeutic food for children with severe acute malnutrition.
Meanwhile, Prof. Sunguya said the government was continuing to strengthen preventive services, including vitamin A supplementation through the Child Health and Nutrition Month campaign, conducted every June and December.
By June 2026, a total of 8,738,461 children had received vitamin A supplements, representing 92 per cent of the targeted population.
