Note editors: Please find the attached English soundbite by Dr Jack Bloom MPL.
Every year about 130 children under five years old die of malnutrition in Gauteng, and hospitals and clinics treated a staggering 8546 malnutrition cases last year.
These alarming figures are disclosed by Gauteng Health MEC Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko in a written reply to my questions in the Gauteng Legislature.
According to the reply, there were 998 deaths from malnutrition from 2018/19 to the end of June this year – this means that every three days a child in Gauteng dies from hunger.
Last year, there were 2873 child malnutrition cases in Gauteng hospitals, and 5673 cases were seen in the clinics.
Hospitals with the highest number of malnutrition cases last year include the following:
- Steve Biko Academic Hospital: 229 cases (150 moderate + 79 severe)
- Rahima Moosa Hospital: 228 cases (127 moderate + 101 severeChris Hani Baragwanath Hospital: 217 cases (67 moderate + 150 severe)
- Leratong Hospital: 216 cases (81 moderate + 135 severe)
- Pholosong Hospital: 209 cases (145 moderate + 64 severe)
- Thelle Mogoerane Hospital: 196 cases (109 moderate and 87 severe)
- Tambo Memorial Hospital: 130 cases (55 moderate + 75 severe)
- Edenvale Hospital: 125 cases (57 moderate + 68 severe)
- Jubilee Hospital: 111 cases (33 moderate + 78 severe)
- Tembisa Hospital: 107 cases (44 moderate + 63 severe)
Lower numbers were recorded at the Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg and George Mukhari academic hospitals, which had 89 and 45 malnutrition cases, respectively.
A worrying figure is the 224 severe malnutrition cases seen by the Olievenhoutbosch Extension 13 mobile clinic which saw 224 children with severe acute malnutrition.
Also disturbing are the 190 severe acute malnutrition cases at the Weilers Farm clinic in the Vaal, and 138 malnutrition cases at the Hillbrow Community Health Centre.
The Gauteng Health Department says all new cases seen at clinics and hospitals are admitted to a Therapeutic feeding programme until they have gained adequate weight and discharged.
According to the department, most of the children with malnutrition have underlying medical conditions which make them not gain weight adequately. The deaths are mostly linked to infections such as diarrhoea, pneumonia, tuberculosis and HIV/Aids, and they present late to health facilities with complications such as Hypoglycaemia, Hypothermia and Sepsis which make the prognosis poor.
The Gauteng malnutrition figures should be a sharp wake-up call for government departments, especially health and social development, to work effectively in getting food to areas of need.
Also important is the promotion of breast feeding, and early identification of malnutrition cases.
No child should suffer or die in a province that has the resources to build a successful economy where everyone can afford nutritious food.
The DA will campaign relentlessly for job-creation policies and safety nets that wipe out hunger.