94 die from malnutrition in Ohangwena

A Total of 94 people have died from extreme hunger-related diseases in the Ohangwena region from 2022 to 2024.
Of these people, 88 are children under five and six are adults.

The region is said to be experiencing high rates of malnutrition, particularly among children under the age of five.

Ohangwena governor Sebastian Ndeitunga says the current drought has significantly affected food security in the region, putting many households at imminent risk.

“Despite the declaration of a state of emergency due to drought and the initiation of nationwide relief food distribution, the situation in the region has not significantly improved.

“The drought has led to starvation and malnutrition, causing 18 deaths, which includes the death of four adults, in 2024,” he says.

The governor says the region is vulnerable to the negative effects of climate change, particularly on agriculture and food security, as it relies heavily on subsistence farming.

Ndeitunga says the Ohangwena Regional Council conducted a survey in 2023 and compiled a list of households in all 12 constituencies identifying those in need of urgent food relief assistance.

As a result, about 48 761 households were identified as requiring food assistance.

“It is obvious that this number has increased over time, especially in this year due to low rainfall.

While grateful to note that the number of previously identified households, 16 000, has increased to 25 067, including marginalised community members who are currently receiving drought-relief food,” he says.

Ndeitunga says the number of people in dire need of food aid is still far below the 48 761 in need of food relief.
Should this gap not be addressed, the region could see increasing reports of malnutrition and starvation, he says.

He adds that about 332 patients are registered for the Nutrition Assessment Counselling and Support (NACS) programme, with the majority of them at the Eenhana and Engela districts.

In 2024, some 799 children were registered in the NACS programme, with 270 hospitals recorded, he says.

“Challenges in the distribution of relief food include food delivery issues – suppliers failing to deliver, a lack of access roads to distribution centres, and insufficient food allocation, leading to emotional and sometimes violent reactions from affected communities.

“Incidents of people fighting over relief food were reported in the Ondobe and Ohangwena constituencies, highlighting the desperation and impatience of those who were previously not on the list,” Ndeitunga says.

He says community health workers are active in various communities, promoting the importance of a balanced diet using locally available food and the significance of breastfeeding.

“Hospital admissions and treatment for severe malnutrition cases are provided to save lives.

As malnutrition is a multisectoral challenge, the Ohangwena region is considering linking malnutrition cases to the regional council upon discharge from hospitals for possible further assistance with food parcels,” he says.

Ndeitunga is further appealing to the Office of the Prime Minister to consider increasing the amount of drought-relief food to cover households that qualify but are currently not receiving food due to limited allocation, as well as the Ministry of Gender Equality, Poverty Eradication and Social Welfare to issue social grants to needy families.