GAIRO health centre in Morogoro Region has recorded notable progress in the fight against childhood malnutrition, following targeted support from the government’s Health Basket Fund (HBF).

Dr Festo Lwambano, the medical officer in charge at the facility, said the fund has played a vital role in enhancing nutrition services and treating children suffering from severe malnutrition in Gairo and neighbouring districts.

“Each month, we receive about 20 children showing signs of stunting and being underweight. These children are placed on a 24-day nutrition programme designed to restore their health,” Dr Lwambano said.

Gairo Health Centre serves not only its immediate community but also patients from surrounding districts, including Kongwa, Mvomero, Kilosa, Kilindi, and Kiteto. On average, the facility admits around 200 children under five years of age each year into a specialised ward for malnutrition cases.

The Health Basket Fund, he added, has enabled the purchase of essential items such as milk for therapeutic feeding and has financed staff training to improve patient care. The fund was also used to sponsor a nutrition officer for specialised training in managing stunted children.

However, Dr Lwambano pointed out that child care remains a challenge, particularly for children under the care of elderly guardians.

“Often, mothers migrate to urban centres like Dar es Salaam for work, leaving their children with grandmothers who may lack the knowledge or capacity to follow proper feeding guidelines. In such homes, all children are fed the same food, regardless of their individual nutritional needs. As a result, malnourished children often relapse after discharge,” he said.

Nutrition officer Biosmart Omar emphasised that the HBF enables the centre to conduct community outreach programmes three times a month. These mobile services provide health education, basic nutrition support, and distribute Vitamin A supplements and deworming tablets during national health campaigns.

“With the HBF, we can afford powdered milk, sugar, and oil to prepare therapeutic meals. For stunted children, we provide milk every two hours around the clock for up to a month, without introducing other foods,” said Omar.

Gairo District medical officer, Dr Boniface Manditi, hailed the HBF for improving the district’s referral system and overall healthcare infrastructure. He said the number of health centres in the district has risen from one to three since 2021, and the newly constructed district hospital has increased healthcare service points in Gairo to 41.

“The HBF has truly transformed healthcare delivery in Gairo,” Dr Manditi affirmed.