The Enrichment of Feeding for Babies and Children, ANJE project, focuses on exclusive breastfeeding and nutrition enrichment to prevent anaemia.
Malnutrition is still a major problem in Cameroon in spite of concerted efforts by government and development partners over the years. According to the 2014 Multi-indicator Cluster Surveys, MICS, 38 per cent of children suffer from malnutrition in rural areas as against 23 per cent in urban areas. The situation is aggravated by the lack of many vitamins in children’s food.
In order to tackle the problem, government is sponsoring the 1,043,782 US Dollar-worth Enrichment of Feeding for Babies and Children, ANJE programme. The project is implemented jointly by the Ministry of Public Health and the United Nations Children’s Fund, UNICEF. As part of the pilot phase running from January-December 2016, the micronutrient powder, VitaMin, is introduced into food to boast growth and babies’ immunity against anaemia.
According to Bello Louga, the Focal Point for Nutrition in the North Regional Delegation of Public Health, only 28 per cent of children in Cameroon aged 6 to 23 months enjoy exclusive breastfeeding as reported by a 2014 MICS survey. Similarly, 60 per cent of children 6-59 months are anaemic, MICS reported in 2011. This is caused by 52 per cent consultations for malaria and the lack of iron in babies’ food.
Bello Louga pointed out that the pilot phase of ANJE involves 9,000 babies aged 0-6 months for exclusive breastfeeding and 43,800 children from 6-23 months old for nutrition enrichment in the Bibemi, Pitoa, Ngong and Golombe Health Districts in Benoué Division of the North Region. Through the project, nursing mothers are sensitised and encouraged to breastfeed their babies up to six months before introducing any food. Thereafter, the “Five Star” pap made up of ground groundnuts, millet, oil, sugar, little salt, dry fish and citrus fruit juice is given to the babies, explained Maimouna Bari, Bureau Head for Health, Pitoa Health District.
On the other hand, VitaMin, made up of 15 vitamins and mineral salts, is introduced into the diet of babies aged six months to 23 months. So far, 45,797 nursing mothers of babies aged 0-23 months have been sensitized and 1,297 community health agents recruited and trained in the concerned four health districts of the North Region. Meanwhile, the ANJE programme is being experimented in Rwanda, Nepal, Malawi, Bangladesh and Ghana with promising results.
