According to Dr Stephen Pande, the Moroto Regional referral hospital director, fruit trees have huge potential as a sustainable food product given they provide a rich nutrient source that already exists within local ecosystems.
Moroto Regional Referral Hospital in partnership with the Rotary E Club of Naguru has planted 1,200 fruit trees.
Trees such as mangoes, avocados, guavas, oranges, and jackfruit were planted around the Hospital compound on Saturday as part of the measures to end malnutrition and protect the environment against climate change.
Dr Stephen Pande, the Moroto Regional referral hospital director said that the Fruit Tree Initiative was derived following the rising cases of malnutrition among the children. He revealed that the malnutrition rate in the district stands at 11.3 percent.
Pande noted that the region has long suffered from environmental degradation and people are not so much concerned that it is negatively impacting their lives.
According to Pande, fruit trees have huge potential as a sustainable food product given they provide a rich nutrient source that already exists within local ecosystems.
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Flavia Bwire, the President of the Rotary E club, said they are planting trees to save the environment and improve nutrition among the people seeking health services at the Hospital.
Bwire said that they chose to plant fruit trees in the hospital due to the high demand for measures to combat the prevalence of malnutrition.
She said that they have also donated over 200 timber trees to be planted around the municipality. She adds that they are committed to planting over 10,000 trees across the region to improve the forest cover.
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Mark Logiel, a health worker at Moroto Regional Hospital said that the trees are important for nutrition because they provide easily accessible food that is rich in vitamins and minerals such as iron, zinc, vitamin A, calcium, and other micronutrients required by the body for proper growth and development.
Logiel noted that they have also experienced the challenge of blood shortage when managing mothers after childbirth.
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Rt Rev Joseph Abura, the Bishop of Karamoja Diocese said that the region has battled with malnutrition due to a lack of money to afford the fruits which are sold in the market.
Abura noted that people have not taken an interest in planting fruit trees in their homes and rely on the ones brought from outside the region yet there is fertile soil to bear the fruits within their locality.
Abura also appealed to the health ministry to consider bringing primary health services to the grassroots community. He added that introducing mobile clinics to manyattas would help to detect diseases such as diabetics, pressure, and others in the early stages and provide early treatment.
He also raised concerns about the shortage of drugs in the referral hospital stating that this has killed the trust among the public.
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Justin Tuko, the Moroto deputy Resident District Commissioner observed that there are negative attitudes towards tree planting in the region. He said that bush burning has been the major problem affecting afforestation while others are being cut off by the pastoralists who use it for different purposes.
Tuko said that there is a need to take tree planting campaigns to the villages so that they understand the value of trees. He said they should embark on community awareness on tree plantation so that they can embrace the project.
Tuko observed that the presidential executive orders have also helped to minimize the cutting down of trees for charcoal burning.
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John Lotyang, the Moroto district natural resources officer rallied other stakeholders to join the Initiative stating that the protecting environment is a shared responsibility.
Lotyang said that climate change is affecting everyone and therefore the fight against environmental destruction should not only left to the duty bearers.
Lotyang applauded the Hospital management and Rotary Club for the Initiative that will help to improve tree cover and also boost nutrition among children.
He also urged the government to consider making electricity affordable for everyone to save the massive use of charcoal for cooking.
