Cambodian government officials and development partners gathered at a high-level workshop on Tuesday, vowing to accelerate efforts to end child wasting in the Southeast Asian nation, said a joint statement.

The statement said children who suffer from wasting, otherwise known as acute malnutrition, are eleven times more likely to die than well-nourished children, and those who survive often experience lifelong consequences.

It said that despite the progress in reducing stunting since 2014, child wasting has not improved and remains at 10 per cent.

The statement added that the government aims to halve child wasting by 2025.

“To achieve this goal, an additional 17.2 million U.S. dollars was needed.’’

Speaking at the workshop, Yim Chhay Ly, deputy prime minister and chairman of the Council for Agricultural and Rural Development, vowed to work with all relevant stakeholders to mobilise resources to achieve the self-imposed goal.

“We recognise that food security and nutrition have an important role in supporting human capital development, effective work, economic growth and social well-being,” he said.

Anirban Chatterjee, the acting representative of the United Nations Children’s Fund in Cambodia, said the right to health and development is one of children’s most fundamental rights.

He said the challenges of recent years, from the pandemic to global food system disruptions, threaten this right.

“This, in turn, threatens children’s health, ability to learn, and future prospects.

“That is why today we all redoubled our efforts to prevent wasting by increasing investment and scaling up multi-sector programs targeting children and women.

“We also strengthen social protection measures to promote and protect child nutrition,” he added. 

(Xinhua/NAN)