Policy Brief: Undernutrition in Malawi: Leading cause of death for under 5 years

Policy Brief: Undernutrition in Malawi: Leading cause of death for under 5 years
Policy Brief: Undernutrition in Malawi: Leading cause of death for under 5 years
Executive summary
Undernutrition in Malawi is a serious community issue is responsible for 48% mortality rate for
under-five children. Evidence has shown that undernutrition, poverty, and lack of health
knowledge is directly correlated with the socio-economic gradient in society. This policy brief
illustrates key drivers by identifying the modifiable risk from societal, environmental, and
biological factors. A combined effort from government and non-government authorities is thus
needed to access community issues, especially the food accessibility and education. This policy
brief also presents a set of recommendation that suggests an integrated approach of professionals,
social health workers, teachers, and individuals in the society to learn, maintain, and access
resources that helps in maintaining quantity and quality of food to overcome the high prevalence
of undernutrition and child mortality.
1 | P a g e

Policy Brief: Undernutrition in Malawi: Leading cause of death for under 5 years
Sustainable action on the burden of malnutrition
Within the scope of sustainable development goals, United Nations aims to trigger sustainable
action to eradicate concern of malnutrition in Malawi (Nino 2015). The effort includes factors
linked with malnutrition such as poorly resources and improper nutritional service, food
insecurity, inappropriate feeding practice, lack of hygiene, female illiteracy, early-stage
pregnancy, and poverty, and political marginalization that excludes children and mother to
access health and commodities. This policy brief illustrates the potential of actions that aims to
contribute to an intensified effort by addressing both nutritional services as well as the cultural
factors through common interventions.
Statistical brief on undernutrition fact in Malawi
One of the major in public health and development challenge in Malawi is child undernutrition,
which has made poor progress in the past few decades since 1995. The average mortality rate for
under-five children during the period 1995 to 2015 is 48%. According to the National Statistical
Office 2016, these statistics is more than 25 times than the expected level for a well-nourished
and healthy population (Kaimila et al. 2019). This is an alarming concern because if the current
trend of child undernutrition in Malawi persists, the nation will fail to achieve the development
goal by 2020, of reducing child mortality by more than 60%. Findings from the demographic and
health survey in Malawi 2016, indicates that 36% of mortality incidents which are occurring
before the age of 5 years is related to both moderate and severe malnutrition (Yaya, Bishwajit &
Shah, 2016). It is surprising to learn that the contribution of moderate malnutrition is 28%,
whereas the contribution from severe malnutrition is lower as 8%, as indicates by ORC Macro,
2016 (Moise et al. 2017). This suggests that even if the child is lightly malnourished, the risk of
2 | P a g e

Policy Brief: Undernutrition in Malawi: Leading cause of death for under 5 years
mortality is high. Trend of nutritional status in Malawi during 2004 to 2014 is shown in Figure 1
(Cornia, Deotti & Sassi 2016).
Figure 1: Trend of nutritional status in Malawi during 2004-2014.
Among the other factors, poor nutritional service and inaccessibility of health facilities to the
community member is a leading factor that contributes higher vulnerability of infant and under-
five child health. Pregnant mothers who are undernourishment from conception till age-two of
the child is a leading factor responsible for the high risk of illness and impaired cognitive
development. This is also attributed to lower education, poverty, and lack of knowledge for
effective health management among community members. Harris et al. (2018) also found that
anemia alone is associated with 3.5% followed by poor vaccination (2.8%) for infant death.
Other factors contribution to under-five death is shown in figure 2 (Liu et al 2015). Ultimately
these factors are responsible for increased burden and influence on the achievement of the
nation. Overall, these facts suggest that child malnutrition deserves significant attention.
3 | P a g e

Policy Brief: Undernutrition in Malawi: Leading cause of death for under 5 years
Figure 2: Causes of under-five deaths in Malawi.
Fact Sheet
 Population under-five at Malawi is 2.9 million, among which 1,42,000 children are
suffering from acute malnutrition and 1.2 million are suffering from chronically
malnourishment condition.
 The worsening situation arises during 2015-16, due to the insecurity situation of food
and nutrition in the country.
 According to the report of the Cost of Hunger in Africa (CoHA), 23% of child
mortality is due to undernutrition and its annual GDP loss is 10.3%.
 Rate of infants born with low birth weight in the last five years is 15%.
 Rate of anemia among children and women (in reproductive age) is more than 20%.
Rationale for requisite action
Sustainable measures from agencies including stakeholders from government and non-
government organizations are required to work together for combined action. The requisite
action includes the following measures:
 Protection and promotion of exclusive breastfeeding practice.
4 | P a g e