Deputy Governor Prof. Grace Cheserek today led the launch of the County Nutrition Action Plan (CNAP), aimed at significantly reducing malnutrition in the county.
The CNAP was developed by the County Department of Health, with support from Nutrition International (NI) and World Vision.
The plan aims to tackle undernutrition by reducing stunting among children under five by 40% and address overnutrition by curbing childhood overweight and obesity.
The event was also graced by Dr. Joyce Kirunpimi, Deputy Country Director of Nutrition International.
The CNAP is projected to cost the County Ksh 1.2 billion, with 45% of this already funded by the County’s development partners.
Prof. Cheserek reiterated the County Executive’s commitment to collaborating closely with the County Assembly to secure ongoing funding for nutrition over the next five fiscal years, ensuring these resources become a permanent part of the County’s budget.
The Deputy Governor also praised the Reacts-In program for its significant role in reducing malnutrition, particularly among mothers and children.
County Assembly Health Committee Chair, Mutwol, who attended the event, assured the public that the Assembly would work alongside the County Executive to allocate sufficient resources for nutrition services. “We pledge to ensure that nutrition services always receive adequate funding,” he stated.
Health CEC Monica Rotich pointed out that malnutrition rates in Elgeyo Marakwet are higher than the national average, and committed to collaborating with fellow Cabinet members in Agriculture, lands and Education to align departmental efforts to reverse these trends.
“I am optimistic that this joint effort will strengthen our implementation of the CNAP,” she added.
Mrs. Priscilla Ngetich, the County Nutrition Coordinator who spearheaded the development of the CNAP, outlined the plan’s key objectives and called on all county stakeholders to actively participate in its execution.
The event was attended by County CECs, Chief Officers, Directors, Community Health Volunteers, and other invited members of the public.
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