Question NW1770 to the Minister of Health
12 May 2022 - NW1770
Masango, Ms B to ask the Minister of Health
What (a) total number of children have died nationally in public hospitals as a result of malnutrition and/or starvation and (b) is the total breakdown in each province?
Reply:
As part of the Integrated Management of childhood disease services, two Data Elements are monitored for malnutrition deaths. These Data Elements are:
- Moderate acute malnutrition death under 5 years
- Severe acute malnutrition death under 5 years
a) The total number of children who have died nationally in public hospitals as a result of malnutrition in the past three years is as follows:
|
Data Element |
FY 2019/20 |
FY 2020/21 |
FY 2021/22 |
|
Moderate acute malnutrition death under 5 years |
166 |
207 |
238 |
|
Severe acute malnutrition death under 5 years |
868 |
568 |
771 |
|
Total (National) |
1034 |
775 |
1009 |
The above table shows a drop in malnutrition deaths in 2020/21, however, the 2021/22 deaths are similar to the pre-COVD-19 deaths of 2019/20.
b) The Total breakdown in each province is as follows:
|
Data Element |
Province |
FY 2019/20 |
FY 2020/21 |
FY 2021/22 |
|
Moderate acute malnutrition death under 5 years |
Eastern Cape Province |
24 |
20 |
20 |
|
|
Free State Province |
21 |
7 |
8 |
|
|
Gauteng Province |
34 |
45 |
45 |
|
|
KwaZulu-Natal Province |
33 |
83 |
81 |
|
|
Limpopo Province |
27 |
13 |
21 |
|
|
Mpumalanga Province |
11 |
24 |
29 |
|
|
Northern Cape Province |
0 |
8 |
11 |
|
|
North West Province |
14 |
6 |
19 |
|
|
Western Cape Province |
2 |
1 |
4 |
|
Severe acute malnutrition death under 5 years |
Eastern Cape Province |
149 |
72 |
127 |
|
|
Free State Province |
65 |
50 |
86 |
|
|
Gauteng Province |
94 |
75 |
120 |
|
|
KwaZulu-Natal Province |
176 |
164 |
187 |
|
|
Limpopo Province |
124 |
70 |
82 |
|
|
Mpumalanga Province |
60 |
52 |
59 |
|
|
Northern Cape Province |
38 |
21 |
33 |
|
|
North West Province |
154 |
56 |
62 |
|
|
Western Cape Province |
8 |
8 |
15 |
|
|
Total (National) |
1034 |
775 |
1009 |
END.