Impact of COVID-19 on optimal infant and young child feeding (IYCF) practices in Mzimba North District
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Date
2021-05-21
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Kamuzu University of Health Sciences
Abstract
Type of research study: Mixed methods study using cross sectional survey and qualitative
data collection
The problem: COVID-19 response has resulted in health systems shifting focus and resources
away from traditional services and this has disrupted provision of such essential services as
nutrition education in Mzimba district. This has arisen from task shifting of health care
personnel away from nutrition services to COVID-19, disruption to programming from
COVID-19 service, gathering and movement restrictions thereby affecting child clinics and
community nutrition services, worsening of household incomes and livelihoods and rising case
of food insecurity. Optimal Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF) which enhances child
nutrition has been affected greatly as interventions geared towards achieving such cannot be
achieved due to the aforementioned distortions hence escalating child malnutrition.
Objectives: The main objective of the study is to explore implications of COVID 19 on optimal
infant and young child feeding practices. Specifically, the study aims at describing the effect
of COVID-19 on Optimal Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF) practices (timely
introduction of complementary food, dietary diversity, meal frequency); describing impact of
COVID-19 on proportions of children meeting Minimum Acceptable Diets (MAD) which is a
composite indicator for the proportion of children meeting both the minimum dietary diversity
and minimum meal frequency; describing patterns of consumption of iron rich foods uptake
amongst 6-23 month old infants and children in Mzimba district and describing the effect of
COVID-19 on nutrition education service provision in Mzimba district.