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The International Rescue Committee is calling attention to the increase of malnutrition happening in Kenya. This problem of admitting malnourished patients into a clinic in Nairobi, Kenya has gotten progressively worse. In May alone, patients admitted with the most life-threatening form of malnutrition with other complications rose by almost 95 percent in the Hagadera refugee camp in Dadaab, according to the IRC.
This is a fixable problem. As a Borgen Project ambassador, I have been educated on the fact that the Global Malnutrition Prevention and Treatment Act and the Global Food Security Reauthorization Act are pieces of legislation that have been passed to aid in finding food security for vulnerable populations.
These bills passed in 2022 are helping target nutrition to more than 795 million people that struggle from hunger. The current issue affecting people in Kenya is now of the utmost concern. The international provisions in the farm bill are looking to directly address the underlying problems that cause malnutrition. This would include looking at the prolonged drought affecting the Horn of Africa. Investing in programs like Food for Peace helps target the problem so that it reduces over time.
Anna-Patrice Roberts
Orono