By REBECCA  MUSHOTA
ZAMBIA is still grappling with malnutrition which has left a number of children stunted, Vice-President Inonge Wina has said.
Ms Wina said a number of children were stunted in Zambia because of a lack of proper nutrition.
“The nation is concerned with malnutrition that has caused stunted growth in a number of children. This impairs their development and these children in the future are not able to contribute to the country’s economic development,” Ms Wina said.
The Vice-President was speaking yesterday at her office when a delegation of the United Nations Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) led by the visiting global deputy executive director Fatoumata Ndiaye visited her office.
She said she was happy UNICEF was supporting Government programmes to provide nutrition to vulnerable children.
Ms Wina said early marriages were also contributing to malnutrition in the country.
She said children that got married early did not know how to take care of their offspring and, therefore, caused them to be malnourished.
Ms Wina said Zambia and UNICEF had partnered in a number of issues that included nutrition, health and education.
Ms Wina also appealed to UNICEF to support the Government’s programme to build floating schools in areas which flooded.
Children in areas that flood are forced to stay away from school for almost half a year until the rain receded.
Ms Ndiaye said Zambia had done well in child health and equity and the Government’s efforts made UNICEF work even harder.
She said the hosting of the African Union summit on child marriage in Lusaka was a message from the country’s leadership against early marriages.
UNICEF regional director for Eastern and Southern Africa Leila Pakkala said Zambia remained a basis of learning to Southern and Eastern Africa.
Ms Pakkala said she appreciated the progress the Government had made in child health.
She said Zambia had made progress in child malnutrition but still had a high number of children with stunted growth.
UNICEF reaffirmed its commitment to Zambia in its new programme to run from 2016 to 2020 which included support in the fight against malnutrition, HIV/AIDS and education.