Museveni calls for law to regulate nutritionists

By Carol Kasujja

President Yoweri Museveni has called for a law to regulate nutritionists and dieticians in Uganda.

He pointed out that Uganda has lots of fake Nutritionists and dieticians who give wrong nutrition messages to patients in hospitals, clinics, TV and Radios.

“The need to put in place a law in place to regulate dietetic practice in Uganda through a law to the establishment of a dietetic will be key in advancement of the nutrition and dietetic profession,” he said.

In his speech read by the State minister for Agriculture, Zerubabel Mijumbi, at the fourth Uganda National Dietetic Conference on Friday at Imperial Royale Hotel, Museveni said that Government has been supporting nutritionist since 2002 at Kyambogo University and over 200 professionals have so far graduated.

He also said that dieticians and health professions should play an active role in educating patients and the general public on how to prevent chronic diseases which have become an economic burden to the household.

 “Just like HIV/AIDS, the war against malnutrition will be won with continued awareness on the three issues of Diet, physical activity and lifestyle,” he noted.

According to him, the emergence of chronic non communicable diseases such as diabetes, heart diseases and cancer in Africa is partly as a result of processed foods which is junk.

Addressing nutritionist, the minister for health, Ruhakana Rugunda said, the nutritional and other essential needs of women and children is still a challenge thus contributing to the increasing burden of diseases affecting productivity and economic development.

During the conference, the president of Uganda Dietetic Association, Fredrick Kizito said the nutrition and dietetics problems affecting the communities involve lack of accurate knowledge on how to feed right by creating balanced diets using the locally available foods.

“People have no time to prepare food. We are rushing for fast foods like chocolates, soft drinks, ice cream and chips, with lots of sugar and fat which cause diseases,”

Kizito also observed that there is a big gap between health professionals who are involved in nutrition and diatetics and the food industry which has the role in manufacturing food which is consumed by the population that they guide on issues of food and nutrition.