ADDIS ABABA- Federal Programs Delivery Unit said it will devise an action plan to accelerate implementation of the Sekota Declaration.
A team of stakeholders has recently visited the area to review the progress of the three years long innovation phase of the program which was launched a year and a half ago. The Sekota Declaration is a covenant launched by the Ethiopian government to end stunting in children less than two years by 2030. Thirty-three Woredas of the Tekeze River Basin of Amhara and Tigray states were selected for the innovation phase.
Federal Delivery Unit of Sekota Declaration Senior Program Manager, Sisay Sinamo (PhD) told The Ethiopian Herald that a team of stakeholders from seven ministries and other organizations has held a working visit to the selected area of the program. Shortage of clean water, limitations in irrigation and other agricultural inputs, material and experts’ shortage in health centers, sanitation problems, and lack of quality education are still the problems of the area.
According to him at national level stunting decreased to 38 percent but in the selected woredas the level of stunting less than two years is over 42 percent. Badly, the level of stunting in Sekota Woreda of Amhara state and Tankua Abergele woreda of Tigray state is 55 and 52 percent respectively. For the three years innovation phase, 538 million USD budget was planned and up to now only 48 percent is raised, he said.
The 15 years program launched by FDRE government in July 2015 with the goal of making stunting zero on children under age two by 2030 will expand throughout the country after the innovation phase, it was learnt. A discussion forum on the findings will be held next Tuesday, and the Ministries would evaluate the progress monthly he said.
The Ethiopian Herald, March 16/2019
BY DARGIE KAHSAY
