Africa-Press – Tanzania. TANZANIA Food and Nutrition Centre (TFNC) has vowed to effectively use this year’s Nutrition Day to make mass awareness campaigns on the importance of nutrition for good health and propel economic and social development.
The TFNC Managing Director, Dr Germana Leyna told a press conference yesterday in Dar es Salaam, that the day will nationally be celebrated in Tabora region, at Ipuli Nanenane grounds on October 23, this year.
Dr Leyna noted that the Minister of Health, Community Development, Gender, Elderly and Children, Dr Dorothy Gwajima is expected to grace the occasion.
The event will bring together nutrition stakeholders and citizens. The slogan for this year’s Nutrition Day is “Lishe Bora ni Kinga Thabiti dhidi ya Magonjwa; kula Mlo Kamili Fanya Mazoezi, Kazi iendelee (Nutrition is better preventive measure against diseases, Eat nutritious food, Do Exercises, Let work continue).
Dr Leyna further said, the celebrations will be preceded by week-long exhibitions of various activities which started yesterday to 22 October. The activities will involve providing community education on the preparation of a healthy diet for different age groups including children, adolescents, pregnant women and lactating women, the elderly and other people.
She added that the event will go in line with conducting health checkups for people as well as displaying bio-fortified and industrially fortified of products or supplements. Dr Leyna highlighted that “National Nutrition Week is observed to raise public awareness about nutrition and healthy eating habits. The week is observed to make people understand the importance of nutritional and adopt good eating habits so that they can maintain a healthy lifestyle.
According to the nutritionists, good nutrition strengthens the body’s immune system and thus helps in reducing the spread of diseases and deaths from infectious diseases including covid-19. Good nutrition increases a person’s ability to work and contributes to increasing productivity for households and the nation as a whole.
She noted that the nutrition contributes to economic development and one of key areas for achieving various national, regional and international goals including the Sustainable Development Goals 2030, the goals of the World Health Council 2025, the African agenda for 2063 as well as the CCM’s Election manifesto 2020-2025.
According to statistics, nutritional status is improving due to declining levels of malnutrition in some indicators.
