Kasese is one of the Districts in Uganda with the highest burden of stunting amongst children under five years. The district is also ranked 3rd in Uganda and first in the Rwenzori Region with the highest prevalence of child marriages and teenage pregnancies (GoU,2022) (UNFPA, 2021) a situation that was exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
A study conducted by GEDA Uganda in 2023 in Kasese District revealed that 56.4% of children born to teenage mothers were stunted with Maliba sub-county having the worst-case scenario. The study further highlighted that majority of the teenage mothers had limited or no sources of income and livelihood thus increasing their vulnerability to food insecurity and consequently food poverty.
A knowledge gap on Maternal infant and young child and adolescent health and nutrition was also indicated as a major risk factor to the high prevalence of stunting among the children born to the teenage mothers. In regards to the above, GEDA Uganda through a project “Better Nutrition for Children” in Maliba sub county supported by Foundation for Community Development (FCDE) and Fr.Roose Fonds organized a training to train members of the Village Health Teams (VHTs) and Health professionals working in the health centers in Maliba Subcounty in trying to address the knowledge gap.
The two categories of VHTs and health professionals were targeted for the training so that they have increased knowledge and skills on MIYCAN in order to support in cascading the same information to the teenage mothers and other older mothers through health and nutrition education whenever they come to the health centers to seek for health services such as Antenatal care (ANC), Young Child Clinics (YCC), Postnatal care (PNC) among others. Similarly, for the VHTs to be in position to support the mothers with the same information at community level during home visits and community meetings respectively.
The two days training that took place on 14th and 13th October 2024 at Maliba Town council hall attracted health professionals from Isule HC, Nyangorongo HC and Mukati Health center III, VHTs from Isule and Nyangorongo Parishes where the project is being implemented participated in the capacity building training too.
Speaking at the training GEDA’s Deputy Managing Director, emphasized the integrated approach of the project implementation and requested the participants to take keen interest in acquiring the knowledge during this training as this knowledge will be used by them in helping project beneficiaries the teenage mothers as well as the entire community. He said the objective of the training was to build their capacity in MIYCAN, introduce the better nutrition for children under five project to them and seeking their support in the execution of the project and beyond.
He said GEDA was committed to continue supporting the communities but also fighting the teenage motherhood vice as this had continuously put the life of teenagers and their children at a bigger risk based on the research findings from the GEDA research.
He said 100 beneficiaries, teenage mothers and their children have been profiled and the roll out of other activities would commence shortly after the VHT/Health professionals training.
Flavia Kabugho the lead trainer took the participants through several sessions including but not limited to Introduction to nutrition, Integrating Nutrition Assessment, Counselling, and Support into Health Service Delivery, Intergenerational Cycle of Malnutrition among others. The two days training was interactive and included a number of practical sessions on determining the nutrition status of an individual.
Several participants appreciated the training saying this was key for them and that they meet several scenarios in their communities and health facilities that needed the knowledge given to them.
Babirye Susan a senior clinical officer at Isule HCIII said “I appreciate the training because i was meeting same scenarios and experiences as shared with us today, this knowledge will help us serve our clients better”.
GEDA Uganda will roll out in the coming days with meeting and training the teenage mothers that were profiled prior to this training.
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