mortality
21 September 2007
The Minister of Health Dr Manto Tshabalala-Msimang will on Saturday, 22
September 2007 officially launch a food and gardening project aimed at
addressing severe malnutrition and high infant mortality in Centocow, in
southern KwaZulu-Natal.
The project, which is the first of its kind in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) and the
country as a whole is a joint initiative between the national Department of
Health and the provincial Departments of Health and Agriculture and
Environmental Affairs in KwaZulu-Natal.
The provincial Department of Agriculture and Environmental Affairs has
contributed seeds to kick-start the project. Centocow is one of the areas in
the country with a high rate of severe malnutrition among children which
sometimes also results in high infant mortality. The project emanates from a
decision that was taken by the Board of Natal Women's Resource Centre (NWRC) in
one of its meetings in 2005 to initiate a project that would address these
development challenges in Centocow.
Saturday therefore will see the launch of this project by the Minister of
Health accompanied by the MECs of Health and Agriculture and Environmental
Affairs in KZN.
This pilot project is located in the tribal authority under Inkosi Zondi and
it is intended that once it has taken off, it will be extended to other areas
that are under the tribal authorities of Inkosi Dlamini and Inkosi Zulu in the
Sisonke District Municipality.
Through the coordination by the national Department of Health, a team of
experts was established to do preparatory work that was aimed at giving
indications of the nature of crops that would be suited for the soil type and
the nutritional needs of the people in the area.
This team was made up of soil scientists, crop specialists, engineers,
irrigation specialists and a dietician. Based on the investigations by this
Value Adding Team, it was found out that the recommendable crops for the soil
type and climate would be sweet potatoes, peanuts, lentils and cabbage.
Once up and running, it is planned that the local hospital St Apollinaris
will procure some of its food requirements from this project. The majority of
the people who are expected to benefit from the project are mainly women who
will be supplying labour to the project.
Date: Saturday, 22 September 2007
Venue: Centocow Mission, eMakholweni, (Next to St Apollinaris Hospital)
Time: 09h00
For more information please contact:
Fidel Hadebe
Cell: 079 517 3333,
Mbulelo Baloyi
Cell: 082 415 7277
Chris Maxon
Cell: 083 447 2869
Issued by: KZN Agriculture and Environmental Affairs
21 September 2007
Sap
