Sumbe — A seminar on ways to fight against mal-nutrition started on Tuesday in Sumbe city, central Kwanza Sul province, in joint organisation between the Ministry of Health and UNICEF.

The two-day event is addressed to community officials of the provinces of Bié, Zaire, Kwanza Sul and Huambo and it aims to upgrade the participants on how to work with programmes linked to acute mal nutrition in communities.

Speaking to the opening ceremony of the event, the representative of UNICEF, Koen Vanormelingen, recognised the efforts made by the Angolan government in fighting against mal nutrition.

He said that the Angolan executive availed nearly USD 50.0 million and assessment for the identification of needs through inter-ministerial committee, led by the Ministry of Health.

According to him, it was outlined strategies to fight mal-nutrition, such as the reinforcement centres of nutrition and establishment of other ones, in partnership between UNICEF and Ministry of Health, as well as supply of milk in nutritional centres in communities.

Koen Vanormelingen guaranteed that UNICEF will finance the emergence programme during three months and then the financing will be continued by European Union (EU) for more six months.