Child Poverty in Mozambique. A Situation and Trend ... - Unicef

Until six months of age, normal weight healthy infants who are born to healthy
mothers and are exclusively breastfed receive enough iron from their own stored iron
and from breast milk. After six months, a growing 6-14 month old child, who has high
iron needs, quickly becomes iron deficient, when their own stored iron is exhausted
and if they are fed unfortified and inadequate complementary foods without sufficient
iron. Iron supplements provided after 24 months may not correct the cognitive
impairment suffered during this crucial early period in life. Low birth weight infants,
premature babies, non-exclusively breastfed infants and infants of mothers with
anaemia need additional iron from about 2 months of age.
The Ministry of Health 2002 National Survey on Vitamin A Deficiency and Anaemia
found that, overall, 75 per cent of children suffer from anaemia, 7 per cent in a severe
form. Anaemia is significantly more frequent in younger than in older children ((89
per cent in 6-23 months compared with 67 per cent in 24-59 months). Rural areas
are also more affected than urban areas (81 per cent and 67 per cent respectively).
As expected, iron deficiency is also strongly associated with anaemia, 90 per cent of
iron deficient children being anaemic, compared with 66 per cent for children without
iron deficiency. The survey also indicated that 36 per cent of children were suffering
from iron deficiency, with a higher prevalence in younger children than older children
(50 per cent among 6-23 months compared with 21 per cent among 24-59 months).
A clear link between anaemia and iron deficiency was established, with a 14 per cent
prevalence of iron deficiency in children without anaemia, against 44 per cent in those
with anaemia (MISAU 2002). The study also found that children with anaemia present
a much higher prevalence of Plasmodium falciparum malaria (50 per cent) than
children without anaemia (17 per cent). There are currently no iron supplementation or
deworming programmes for the high risk group of children under two years of age in
Mozambique.
C. Breastfeeding practices
Mothers’ practices related to infant and child feeding have an important bearing
on the nutritional status of young children, both in terms of macronutrient and
micronutrient deficiencies. Breast milk provides a complete source of nutrition during
the first six months of life, fulfils half of the child’s nutritional requirements during the
second six months of life and one-third of requirements in the second year of life.
Overall, the benefits of breastfeeding, both for the child as well as for the mother, are
well known and widely documented. However, breastfeeding is a risk factor for HIV
transmission from a sero-positive mother to her child (see Box 3.5 on “Infant feeding
in the context of HIV/AIDS”). Among the most important benefits of breastfeeding
for infants in developing countries are the reduction of the incidence and severity
of diarrhoeal diseases during the first year of life, reduction of the risk of respiratory
infections, improved neurological development and improved protection against a
number of chronic diseases in later life. Breastfeeding is also important in bonding
between mother and child. Infants who are not breastfed at all are at much higher
risk of dying, particularly due to diarrhoea, than breastfed children. Optimal infant and
young child feeding can reduce child mortality by nearly 20 per cent, according to the
Lancet Child Survival series.
CHILDHOOD POVERTY IN MOZAMBIQUE: A SITUATION AND TRENDS ANALYSIS
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