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Kenya to host int'l conference on fight against malnutrition

Xinhua, November 10, 2016 Adjust font size:

More than 100 hundreds nutrition experts from around the world are due to meet in Nairobi next week to review the progress against malnutrition, organizers said on Wednesday.

Schuyler Thorup, Executive Vice President for Overseas Operations for Catholic Relief Services (CRS) which is organizing the event, said the experts are expected to develop a road map toward accelerating progress against the problems in the areas of nutrition, water and sanitation, agriculture, health, early childhood development, education and gender.

"Every year, malnutrition claims the lives of 3 million children under five and costs the global economy billions in lost productivity and health costs," Thorup said ahead of the Nov. 14-16 meeting.

"These losses are almost entirely preventable. This year's conference will look especially at how we can harness the resources and reach of the private sector in this fight," he said in a statement.

The experts are expected to share ways of improving nutritional outcomes for vulnerable global populations.

During the integrated nutrition conference 2016, experts from the government, business and non-profit organizations to fight global hunger are also expected to come up with solutions that could lead to reduction of deaths of children under five.

"For every dollar invested in improving nutrition for pregnant women and children under two years of age, a return of 48 U.S. dollars in better health and economic productivity can be expected. CRS focuses on providing adequate nutrition during the first 1,000 days of life in over 33 projects around the world," Thorup said.

"There is an urgent need for global action on nutrition. This conference is an exciting opportunity to explore ways to make that happen."

The conference is expected to bring together representatives of humanitarian agencies such as CRS, Action against Hunger, the World Food Programme, the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF), universities and top government officials. Endit