Southern Africa: Deteriorating nutrition situation

According to a June Unicef nutrition fact sheet, the slow national trend of improvement in nutrition across the sub-region in the 1990s ceased and after some worsening starting in the late '90's, deteriorated sharply with drought in high HIV/AIDS prevalence areas. There has been limited recovery in Zimbabwe linked to the humanitarian response, and possibly Malawi, however, there is evidence of progressive deterioration overall. The fact sheet says approximately 5% of children in southern Africa less than 59 months may have HIV/ AIDS and may be failing to grow as a result. The increasing levels of malnutrition overall in young children may measure a mix of HIV/ AIDS and deprivation - the indirect impact of HIV/ AIDS on malnutrition is linked to worsening poverty.