A Systems Approach in the Prevention of Undernutrition Among Children Under Five in Tanzania: Perspectives from Key Stakeholders

Overview

Journal Nutrients

Date 2024 Jun 19

PMID 38892485

Authors

Gasto Frumence

Yannan Jin

Amalberga Kasangala

Saidah Bakar

Gladys Reuben Mahiti

Bertha Ochieng

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Undernutrition among under-fives is one of the major public health challenges in Tanzania. However, there are limited studies assessing the contribution of cultural-related strategies in the prevention of child undernutrition in Tanzania. This study aimed at exploring participants' experiential views regarding developing culturally sensitive strategies for the elimination of child undernutrition for under-fives in Rukwa, Iringa, Ruvuma, Songwe and Njombe regions located in the Southern Highlands in Tanzania. This study applied focus group discussions (FGDs) with forty practitioners to explore culturally-sensitive strategies for effectively preventing child undernutrition in Tanzania. The study participants were purposively selected, and thematic analysis was used to identify themes within the data. This study revealed that district- and lower-level administrative systems should prioritize nutrition interventions in their plans, allocating adequate resources to implement culturally sensitive nutrition interventions, while national-level organs need to strengthen institutional capacity and ensure the availability of funds, skilled human resources and a legal framework for the effective implementation and sustainability of nutrition interventions at the district- and lower-levels. This study highlights that for the successful implementation of culturally sensitive strategies towards the elimination of child undernutrition, there is a need to use a systems approach that allows for collaborative governance whereby different sectors act together to address the persistent malnutrition epidemic.

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