LETTER

Help girls and women to grow strong!

 

Worldwide, 200 million children are affected by low height-for-age or low weight-for-height, which causes a weak immune system and decreased cognitive capacity. Tragically, those children have an eleven times higher probability of death than healthy children.

Responsible for this problem is malnutrition, which is a long-term process that leads to the lack of nutrients and reduced growth capacities over time. This is a problem for women, as it contributes to complications during pregnancy and childbirth. In addition, children are more likely to be underweight and vulnerable to infection. Sadly, malnutrition can be accounted for 50% of deaths of children under five years.

Increasing financial aid and setting up programs in developing countries to improve maternal, child and reproductive health would greatly benefit societies that are battled by poverty.

Policymakers must act now and show more commitment. Let’s tackle the biggest problem in the world – malnutrition!

Dr. Karolin Klement
Calgary