Abstract

In this study, a hospital based cross-sectional study was also carried to study the impact of malnutrition on the children less than five years of age in Juba payam (District), Republic of South Sudan. The results was obtained indicated that 56% of children were suffering from the chronic malnutrition and 24% children were underweighted and also 20% children were suffering from the acute malnutrition. The study results showed that children with the middle and poor economic status were more stunted as compared to children of high economic status. The results showed that children of mothers with no education were significantly have more stunted. According to the results obtained regarding the associates of child malnutrition status, 22% had never been breastfeed after their birth due to absent of milk from their mothers and maternal death, while 24% were majorly affected by household size. Moreover 30% were faced by lower incomes. Socio-economic and demographic factors were significantly associated with high prevalence of malnutrition on children less than five years of age.

Introduction:

The world’s youngest Nation, the Republic of South Sudan is a fragile state working to recover from decades of conflict and civil war. Children in South Sudan face substantial health risks as a result of malnutrition that has a greater impact on child growth and development such as physiological functions of growth, reproduction, defense, and repairs. Malnutrition among children less than five years of age continues to be one of the South Sudan’s major human development challenges. In spite of tremendous economic crisis made in the last two to three years of conflict, malnutrition among children in both urban and rural areas of South Sudan still claims of many lives of children has less than five years of age. However, mounting cases of malnutrition has caught the public eye and so health care providers as well as the government are taking the necessary steps to improve the current status of nutrition for children in South Sudan

Objectives:

The main objective of this research paper was to study the impact of malnutrition on children less than the five years of age at Juba payam, Republic of South Sudan. Whereas the specific objectives include: to examines the causes of malnutrition to the children less than five years of age at Juba Payam, to investigate the feeding practice of the children from their caretakers especially mothers, fathers and also grandparents at Juba payam, to investigate some environmental factors that contributes to malnutrition problems on children less than five years of age, to investigates socio-economic factors that are linked to malnutrition problems from the communities of Juba payam, to identifies crucial problems affecting Children less than five years of age.

Conclusion and Recommendations: From the findings of this study, it is concluded that malnutrition is still an important problem among children less than five years of age in Juba payam and some socio- economic and demographic factors, lack of proper feeding practices; internal conflict and environmental health condition are found to be significantly associated with the high prevalence of malnutrition among under-five year children. However, to reduce the burden of malnutrition among under-five children, a combined effort by the government, non-governmental organizations individuals.