Author(s)

André Nyembo Shimba¹, Christian Antoine Mulimbi², Danny Mwadi Kilemba³, Prosper Pamba Mazomena⁴, Pierrot Ilunga Musaya¹, Delphin Monga Mwenze⁵, Augustin Kalume Tshomba⁴, Dressen Ilunga Makonga⁶, Dieu Merci Kabila Mukala⁴, Dicta Mwamba Mulobe⁴, Danny Mufite Kapya⁴, Berth Tshikala Kosa⁷, Martin Banza Mwana Bute⁴, Felly Kalenga Ngoy⁴, Bienfait Mwarabu Much’Apa⁸, Abdon Mukalay wa Mukalay^7,8, Simon Ilunga Kandolo^8*

¹School of Public Health, University of Kamina, Kamina, The Democratic Republic of Congo.
²University of Lubumbashi, Lubumbashi, The Democratic Republic of Congo.
³Faculty of Economics, University of Kamina, Kamina, The Democratic Republic of Congo.
⁴Manono Higher Institute of Medical Techniques, Manono, The Democratic Republic of Congo.
⁵Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Kamina, Kamina, The Democratic Republic of Congo.
⁶Faculty of Medicine, University of Kamina, Kamina, The Democratic Republic of Congo.
⁷Faculty of Medicine, University of Lubumbashi, Lubumbashi, The Democratic Republic of Congo.
⁸School of Public Health, University of Lubumbashi, Lubumbashi, The Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Introduction: Malnutrition is one of the main causes of mortality in Africa among children aged from 0 to 5 years old. It is a real public health problem. Methodology: We conducted a cross-sectional study on malnutrition in preschool children at the Katuba General Reference Hospital. Results: Edema was present in 25% of cases and 73 or 42.69% of the children were in the age group of 13 to 18 months; 69.59% were females. We observed that 58.48% of the children were vaccinated against 41.52 who were not vaccinated. Many parents of children were married (52.6%). Most parents had a liberal profession (53.8%) parents with a liberal profession were in the majority (53.8%). Moderate acute malnutrition represented 9.36% according to Z-score Weight for age and 12.28% Severe acute malnutrition according to arm circumference. Conclusion: Malnutrition remains a scourge in Lubumbashi. It is important that a communication campaign be favored to promote local foods rich in essential elements, accessible to fight against malnutrition.

Katuba, General Referral Hospital, Malnutrition Preschool Age

Shimba, A.N., Mulimbi, C.A., Kilemba, D.M., Mazomena, P.P., Musaya, P.I., Mwenze, D.M., Tshomba, A.K., Makonga, D.I., Mukala, D.M.K., Mulobe, D.M., Kapya, D.M., Kosa, B.T., Bute, M.B.M., Ngoy, F.K., Much’Apa, B.M., Mukalay, A.M. and Kandol, S.I. (2023) Prevalence of Malnutrition among Preschool Children in the Katuba Health District. Case of the Katuba General Reference Hospital in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Open Access Library Journal, 10, 1-9. doi: 10.4236/oalib.1109745.