Background
Micronutrient malnutrition is of critical concern in the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) economic block. Currently in the region, the prevalence of anemia, vitamin A deficiency, zinc deficiency and iodine deficiency among the vulnerable groups (women of reproductive age, under 5-year-olds and school-going children) is of public health importance. Because of the health and economic implications of these deficiencies, this makes the current situation worrying for the SADC Member States. The sluggish progress (and in some countries no progress) in reducing micronutrient malnutrition or attaining related targets is disconcerting. For instance, in Southern Africa, no country has reported improvements in the prevalence of anemia among women of reproductive age over the past few years [1]. This slow progress in micronutrient malnutrition is part of the reasons for slow progress in reducing stunting levels among the under-fives, thus setting up definite intergenerational effects of malnutrition including sub-optimal economic productivity at adulthood.
Consistent with the SADC Food and Nutrition Security Strategy (2015-2025)[2], the secretariat has embarked on various efforts to reduce stunting and other forms of malnutrition and assisting Member States to reach Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the 2025 World Health Assembly targets. Important part of these efforts is the reduction of micronutrient deficiency which the main ones are vitamin A deficiency (VAD), iron anemia deficiency (IDA), and iodine deficiency disorders (IDD). Despite these concerns, there is paucity of robust and recent data on country-wide micronutrient status available for use and reference is always made to outdated data. The prevalence of anemia (Hb<110g/l) among SADC women of reproductive age is reported be between 21-57.0% (Table 3) and this is way above the WHO cut- of 5% prevalence above which anaemia is considered a public health problem. Seven Member States (Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia) listed in the Table 3 have severe anaemia – ranging between 40.5% and 74.7% according to WHO classifications. The estimated proportion among children aged 6-59 months old reached with full coverage of 2 doses of vitamin A supplementation within 12 months were below 80% save for Zimbabwe which reported 80.1% coverage[3]. The observed high stunting rates in the region are likely etiologically related to the persistently high micronutrient deficiencies. All SADC Member States have either high or very high prevalence of stunting according to WHO classification. Wasting is also of concern as shown by the many Member States having wasting levels among the under-fives more than 5%.
[1] Global Nutrition Report, 2018.
[2] SADC, 2015.
[3] SADC, 2015