Around thirty deaths due to acute and severe malnutrition were recorded in January in the two health zones of Panzi and Wambalwadi in the territory of Kasongo Lunda (Kwango). But before that, more than 70 other cases of deaths were reported in the same area last November. These figures were given at the beginning of the week by Chadrac Kasongo Kabeya from the Kwango provincial ministry of health who returned from these areas for investigations.
According to him, the food situation is worrying in the Kwango province. For some time, severe acute and chronic malnutrition has been rampant in this part of the country. He pleads for an urgent and lasting response from the Government to this crisis.
“Severe acute and chronic malnutrition is raging in Kwango province. And as a result, there are cascading deaths in the Panzi and Wambalwadi health zones. Almost all of the 5 health zones in the Kasongo Lunda territory are affected by malnutrition. But the epicenter is much more in the two health zones that I have just mentioned to you”testifies Chadrac Kasongo
He says he was on the ground where, in the first round, his team recorded more than 70 deaths due to malnutrition last November.
And not two weeks ago, more than 30 deaths were recorded in the Tambuseke village, located in the Panzi health zone and the Mongo village, in the Wambalwadi health zone. All these deaths are due to malnutrition, so they are Kwashiorkore cases and marasmic cases, and this concerns all age groups, he adds.
Cadrac Kasongo alerts the Government and calls for a rapid and urgent response.
According to the latter, almost all of the 14 health zones in Kwango province are experiencing malnutrition problems.
Health
