Health Ministry to give expectant mothers micro nutrients

This was revealed during the Nutrition Society of Uganda dialogue on stuntedness in Uganda at College of Food and Nutrition at Makerere University today.

Sarah Nyombi who represented the health ministry made the revelation after citing challenges that come as a result of both iron and folic supplementation currently being used by expecting mothers.

"The current supplementation being given to women is good, but women come late for supplementation and they also don't finish their doses and you find that it has only two micronutrients," she said, adding that, "we have carried out research and found that they need these two nutrients. We have therefore come up with a formulation of multiple micronutrient supplementation."

Nyombi also said that they are trying introduce the new multiple nutrients in a few districts. She said the transition will be happening smoothly from one district to another.

"The introduction of this new multiple micronutrient is already on going although not yet officially introduced. We are doing this in a few districts and hope to be successful," she said.

"This new multiple micronutrient is good for expecting mothers. It will help reduce the burden of birth defects. The nutrient will improve the the nutrition of expecting mothers which I believe will also help a lot in the formation of the child."

Expectant mothers have been taking both Folic and Iron supplements separately which is believed to have been a burden to most. Most hospitals, according to Nyombi, have been facing challenges of expectant mothers not finishing up their doses.