The fight against chronic child malnutrition (DCI) is one of the tasks that the Ministry of Economic and Social Inclusion (MIES) will maintain in this 2023. The expansion of the number of beneficiaries of the bonus with which it aims to reduce the rates of problematic is one of the goals.
The head of said State portfolio, Esteban Bernal, announced that this year the coverage of the Childhood with a Future bond will be expanded, which benefits pregnant mothers and is part of the campaign to combat child malnutrition.
During 2022, the aid was delivered to almost 37,500 pregnant mothers.
Government indicates that it is paving the way so that chronic child malnutrition does not exceed 10% in 8 years
The bonus consists of the delivery of $50 on a recurring basis and $10 accumulated at three milestones: $90 when the gestation process ends, $120 in the first year of the child’s life and $120 in the second year.
All this as long as the mother registers prenatal and pediatric check-ups in health centers, as well as vaccinations.
In 2023, the goal is to deliver 30,000 additional vouchers, that is, double the number of beneficiaries to 67,500. For this, the coverage budget is $38’145,960.
The projection, indicated Bernal, is to incorporate 3,000 beneficiaries per month.
The addition of this number of people stems from an active search conducted through teams that provide services in the community.
For example, if an educator detects that a pregnant mother is vulnerable, she is notified so that she can enter the program.
For now, the search for early recruitment has been focused, that is, from the beginning of the child’s formation. In this way, the head of MIES affirmed, it is possible for the infant to be born with an adequate level of health.
A contingent of private initiatives is added to the fight against child malnutrition, especially in provinces with the greatest problems
The target population of the voucher are pregnant mothers, girls and boys under 2 years of age and mothers of children from 0 to 45 days who are in the areas with the highest poverty rates in the country.
By 2024, the projection is to reach 85,000 beneficiaries, which is the baseline through which effective coverage would be achieved in the most vulnerable areas and that are part of prioritized parishes.
The MIES identified 723 parishes nationwide that are located in those sectors where malnutrition is most prevalent, such as Santa Elena, Tungurahua, Cotopaxi, Chimborazo and Cañar.
The DCI problem is more prevalent in rural areas and in the Sierra and Amazon regions, Bernal said.
“The more than 700 parishes will have priority in the fight against DCI, but that does not mean that work will not continue in the other parishes of the country,” said the head of MIES.
In areas of Mount Sinai and Quichua communities, it was detected that there are 40% of children who have at least one sign of malnutrition, according to the diagnosis of researchers
In fact, paving the way so that by 2030 chronic child malnutrition does not exceed 10% is one of the objectives of the current administration. Chronic malnutrition in children under 2 years of age is expected to be reduced by 6% by 2025, that is, from 29% to 23%.
In the coming weeks, Bernal said, updated information will be available on the rates of child malnutrition in the country to continue with the actions.
In 2022, the State portfolio closed with $1,716 million of budget investment and providing coverage to 1.9 million households nationwide.
Of this last amount, at least 450,000 are beneficiaries of social services in programs for the elderly, for people with disabilities, to reduce gender-based violence, among others.
The rest is part of the monetary transfers or bonuses and pensions that the ministry maintains. (YO)
Source: Eluniverso
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