February 1, 2024 (Public Communication and Media Relations)

The County Health and Sanitation Department has held its County Nutrition Technical Forum to address the current critical nutrition situation.

According to the June 2023 SMART survey, Kenya’s Global Acute Malnutrition (GAM) rate is 26.4% while it is at 32.7% in Turkana South.

The forum, supported by the County Health Department and partners, resulted in upscale outreach support in alignment with the ongoing emergency response across the county.

Turkana South Sub-county Nutrition Officer, Jemester Kakuta, who was representing the County Nutrition Coordinator, outlined that they were conducting mass screenings targeting children below 5 years, and expectant mothers in Turkana East and South. These screenings are being supported by Catholic Relief Services (CRS) and World Vision Kenya (WVK).

“We are planning quarterly joint activities on nutrition commodity monitoring to improve commodity management, data review from Community Health Promoters (CHPs), and carrying out support supervision in outreaches,” she said.

Jemester further mentioned that with partners’ support, the county is scaling up outreaches and even conducting several training of CHPs through the Trainer of Trainers (ToTs) in Turkana North, East, and Kibish.

Benson Musau, Nutrition Support Officer – UNICEF Kenya Lodwar Zonal Office, mentioned that the organization was planning to support county health records information officers to strengthen data entry into Kenya’s Health Information System.

“To ensure delivery of nutrition services, it would be ideal to involve social and behavioral change approaches to improve nutrition and proactive dietary practices,” he said

Present were Sub-county Management Teams and partner representatives from Kenya Red Cross Society, Catholic Relief Services, USAID NAWIRI, International Rescue Committee, World Food Program Kenya, Concern Worldwide Kenya, World Vision Kenya, SAPCONE, WeltHungerHilfe Kenya, and National Drought Management Authority.