Improving the situation of malnutrition for children

Improving the situation of malnutrition among local people is one of the important tasks of commune health stations in areas with large ethnic minority populations. To carry out this task, health stations not only organize communication and counseling sessions at the stations, but medical staff also go directly to households to provide counseling and practical guidance on nutrition.

Medical staff at the Hung Phuoc Commune Health Station assess a child's physical condition before providing nutritional counseling. Photo: Hai Yen

Thanks to these efforts, people’s awareness of health care and nutrition practices has improved, and the malnutrition situation has also been alleviated.

Visiting households to guide nutritious cooking

The Resolution of the First Party Congress of Loc Quang commune for the 2025–2030 term set a goal of reducing the malnutrition rate to below 3%. However, malnutrition among ethnic minority communities in the commune remains alarmingly high. In Bu Linh hamlet, the rate of underweight malnutrition is nearly 11%, while stunting exceeds 7%. In Bu Tam hamlet, both underweight and stunting rates are close to 9%. Without concrete measures, it will be impossible to bring down malnutrition rates in line with the target set by the Party Congress resolution.

In response, the Loc Quang commune Health Station directed the Reproductive Health and Malnutrition Care Team to visit these two areas to learn about the situation and advise local people on breastfeeding and dietary practices to prevent malnutrition.

Dr. Tran Van Thi, Specialist Level I and Head of Loc Quang commune Health Station (under Loc Ninh Regional Health Center), said: “Our goal is to reduce the malnutrition rate by at least 1% each year. Only then can we ensure the health care targets set in the commune Party Congress Resolution.”

The Loc Quang commune health station also organized group sessions as part of the Vitamin A supplementation campaign for children. During these sessions, children were weighed and measured. Meanwhile, caregivers received counseling on breastfeeding, child care during the first 1,000 days of life (from pregnancy until the child turns 24 months), guidance on preparing nutritionally balanced meals with all essential food groups (protein, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, and minerals), as well as advice on incorporating additional snacks between main meals.

Health workers at the station also advise mothers with young children to bring them in monthly for vaccination counseling, encourage families to ensure proper Vitamin A supplementation for children aged 6 to 59 months, and promote regular deworming.

Midwife Tran Thi Phuong is the health officer in charge of nutrition at the Loc Quang commune health station. She is also the one who goes directly into villages, visiting households to measure children’s weight and height, carefully recording the data for monitoring, while at the same time guiding residents in the locality on health care and preparing nutritious meals.

She shared that most malnourished children come from ethnic minority households, largely due to difficult living conditions, economic hardship, and dietary and lifestyle habits. The proportion of ethnic minority families with children under five is high, yet many residents have limited knowledge and low levels of education. Changing their mindset is extremely challenging since it cannot happen overnight, but, as she put it, “requires slow, steady efforts, like long rains soaking the earth.”

According to Dr. Bui Thi Thu Lieu, Head of Hung Phuoc commune Health Station (under Bu Dop Regional Health Center), to improve child malnutrition, the station mobilized village health workers to persuade households with children under five to use fresh, clean food available at home to prepare nutritious and hygienic meals.

The health station also provides education and nutrition counseling for pregnant women and mothers with children under two years old, offers direct consultations at the station for pregnant women and mothers with undernourished children under five, and conducts household visits to advise families with children under two and malnourished children under five.

The approach of “going to every alley and knocking on every door” to guide ethnic minority households in the province on nutritional health care has shown initial effectiveness. This undertaking is also a measure that commune health stations in remote, rural, and border areas will continue to implement in the coming time, with the goal of significantly improving the nutritional status of children in these communities.

Changing perceptions in health care

In its effort to reduce malnutrition rates among ethnic minority households, Phuoc Son commune Health Station (under Bu Dang Regional Health Center) has encountered many difficulties. A key challenge is that many residents in the locality still lack knowledge about nutrition, leading them not to prioritize diverse meals with balanced nutritional components.

The Phuoc Son commune health station has addressed these challenges by providing capacity-building training for health workers; supplying simple, easy-to-understand materials and methods tailored to children and elderly seniors, along with community communication; and coordinating with programs on micronutrient supplementation, balanced meal counseling, deworming, and personal hygiene guidance to help prevent diseases among residents.

In addition, the station has worked closely with local organizations to widely and effectively implement campaigns on Vitamin A supplementation, regular deworming, and vaccinations for children. Participants include village heads, women’s unions, and village health workers.

Thanks to the close coordination of local authorities and organizations, both underweight and stunting malnutrition rates have decreased. Many children now receive Vitamin A supplements and deworming on schedule, boosting their immunity, improving height, and reducing illness.

For residents in the locality, thanks to health workers visiting their homes to provide encouragement and guidance, their awareness has gradually changed. They now understand and practice hygienic eating habits, ensuring that all essential food groups are included in their daily diet.

Lam Thi Chanh Thu, a resident of Bu Linh hamlet in Loc Quang commune, shared: “I was advised by staff from the Malnutrition Program about the long-term consequences of child malnutrition. I also received guidance on what constitutes a nutritious meal for children. In addition, the health workers showed me how to adjust our daily portions and vary the dishes so that the children do not get bored while still getting enough nutrients. Those instructions were very practical. Since then, we know how to prepare more nutritious meals for our children.”

Not only do health workers provide instructions on how to cook balanced meals, but their household visits also help shift people’s perceptions. This endeavor, in turn, enables families to understand that proper nutrition and disease prevention play a crucial role in ensuring that children grow up healthy and achieve full physical as well as intellectual development.

By: Hai Yen - Xuan Hiep

Translated by: Thu Hien - Minho