By Aliko Munde

Chitipa, September 1, Mana: Director of Planning and Development (DPD) for Chitipa District Council, Jossen Tembo has advised stakeholders implementing nutrition projects in the district to coordinate and fight in reducing stunting to a single digit.

Tembo made the call on Friday during the District Nutrition Coordinating Committee (DNCC) meeting which was funded by the Lusubilo Community Care Organization under Agriculture and Nutrition Integration Project,

The project is being implemented with funding from Mathile Family Foundation.

Tembo said that stunting is at 33 percent in the district, which translates to 82, 000 people.

"We all need to come together and fight stunting in the district. We need to fight to reduce 33 percent and come to single digit.

"We really need to work hard so that children born from these 82, 000 people who are stunting should be free from stunting," he said.

Project Coordinator for Lusubiro Community Care Organisation, Maureen Maseya assured the district council that civil society organisations will continue complimenting government efforts in reducing stunting and other nutrition related interventions.

Maseya said as one way of reducing malnutrition in the district, her organisation plans to procure anthropometric tools in the clinics.

"Last time we procured anthropometric tools like height board, weighing scales, Mid-Upper Arm Circumference (MUAC) tapes and many more. And this time around we are procuring another consignment, which will be distributed to the areas we are implementing the project," she said.

The project targets the moderately malnourished under five children, pregnant and lactating mothers in Senior Chiefs Kameme, Mwenewenya and Mwabulambya,