The provincial government of Kasai Oriental has announced the launch of an awareness campaign for schoolchildren against the abusive consumption of Plumpy’nut and therapeutic milk. This decision was taken in the presence of the local politico-administrative authorities. The governor of the province, Patrick Mathias kabeya Matshi, hailed the commitment of UNICEF in the fight against the sale and consumption of these pharmaceutical products by healthy people.
Therapeutic foods, which contain added minerals and vitamins, are excellent sources of protein and energy. They are an effective way to help malnourished children recover from malnutrition. However, their misuse has become a growing concern in some regions.
The campaign will focus on a three-month period, from June to August 2023, and aims to educate students about the importance of not abusing these therapeutic products. The governor also announced that severe sanctions will be taken against recalcitrants and traffickers of therapeutic products intended for malnourished children.
We can only hope that this campaign will be effective in raising awareness among the local population and in combating the abuse of these therapeutic foods. Malnourished children need these products for their health, and their misuse could seriously compromise the health of children who need them.