LEAH BROWN

DAR ES SALAAM, TANZANIA––The World Bank has called upon the Tanzanian Government to emphasise nutrition and also include the finalisation of food fortification standards that was supposed to have been ready by now.

These are aimed at improving the nutrition of the population and reduce the high infant and maternal mortality rate.

Every year, over 27,000 infant and 1,600 maternal deaths in the country -are caused by malnutrition. Food fortification involves adding small amounts of vitamins and minerals to staples such as maize flour, wheat flour and vegetable oil. The move is aimed at improving the nutrition of large segments much of the population and reduce infant mortality rate (IMR) and maternal immortality.

Tanzania has developed a food fortification programme with the support of the World Bank and other development partners but its implementation is being delayed because the national standards have not yet been approved.

"We call upon the government to immediately finalize all the needed food fortification standards to ensure that the health benefits of food fortification are available to all Tanzanians,"the World Bank Country Director for Tanzania, Uganda, and Burundi, John Murray McIntire. The World Bank Group provided US$2 million, part of an additional funding package for Tanzania's Health Sector Development Programme to support initial implementation of the food fortification programme.

At least $2.69 million grant is available from the Japanese Social Development Fund (JSDF) to develop sustainable approaches for food fortification in rural areas.

"This standard-setting process has been going on for over too long and it is time to finalise the process. “The lack of standards could make it impossible to utilise World Bank financing while it is available, thereby jeopardizing the food fortification programme and the health and economic potential of the nation," noted McIntire

Malnutrition is one of the greater challenges facing Tanzania.