The Busia government has signed an agreement with an international organisation to promote healthcare.
In the agreement signed on Tuesday by Governor Sospeter Ojaamong and Nutrition International consultant Rhoda Njuguna, Busia will invest Sh36 million in the scheme as Nutrition International injects Sh30 million in the project that runs until July 2023.
The plan targets women, children and adolescents’ nutrition needs and it will involve community training for behavioural change so that people start addressing nutrition needs at the family level and have them start eating nutritious foods.
“My government will partner with Nutrition International to fund nutrition activities in Busia county for the next three years starting July 1,” a statement released by the county chief’s office said.
“The issue of nutrition is serious. My government will employ more nutrition officers to help reduce stunted growth which is rearing its ugly head in the county. I wonder why stunted growth was high and yet the county has a lot of food.”
Nutrition International is an organisation that supports the government’s maternal and newborn health programme.
Four priority counties under phase one of the programme include Busia, Vihiga, Nandi and Makueni.
An agreement between Nutrition International and the four counties will be signed in Nairobi on February 4, 2020.
“My government welcomes the joint partnership, I urge residents to stop the culture of selling eggs to buy bread yet cassava is readily available and the false notion that fruits are only meant for markets,” Ojaamong said.
Njuguna said the primary objective of the project is to address macronutrition and anaemia among women and children.
She said there will be training on the importance of the project across Busia.
The programme is part of Busia’s initiative to improve health among residents and it will involve the distribution of free milk to all Early Childhood Development Education (ECDE) pupils in all ECDE centres.
Deputy Governor Moses Mulomi said cases of stunted growth in children were on the rise, with the cases presently standing at 22 per cent.
Among officials present during the signing of the agreement included Nutrition International regional director Dr Richard Pedame and Country Director Martha Nyagaya.
Busia Finance chief executive Phaustine Barasa, county Public Health Director Dr Melsa Lutomia and county chief nutritionist Scolastica Nabade were also present.
