The National Council of Churches of Kenya (NCCK) has proposed an amendment to the Children Act aimed towards reducing the cases of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in children.
Speaking during a consultative meeting with the National Assembly Education Committee and officials from the Ministry of Health, the NCCK chair, Rev Dr Elias Ogolla, proposed a new section, 16A, to the Children Act (Cap. 141).
The new section would guarantee every child the right to basic quality nutrition and food of acceptable standards and protect children from aggressive marketing of foods high in sugars, fats, and sodium.
The stated ingredients have been identified as some of the biggest causes of NCDs, as they are often linked to poor health outcomes.
“Children must be enabled to realise their constitutional right to adequate food and health,” said Rev Ogolla.
“These proposed amendments are building on the Kenya Nutrient Profile Model by proposing policies such as Front-of-Pack warning labels and restrictions on marketing unhealthy foods to children.”
They also proposed amendments to the Basic Education Act (Cap. 211) that would require the education system to promote every child’s right to health and adequate nutrition during school hours.
Another proposed change to the Basic Education Act is to mandate County Education Boards to take leadership in promoting child health in schools, including forming school health committees.
The committee chair, Mary Emaase, highlighted the importance of bringing together crucial societal sectors like education and the church to secure the well-being of children.
"Education and health must go hand in hand if we are to secure the future of our children. We must shield them from the influence of junk food marketing and create school environments that promote lifelong healthy habits," he stated.
This is especially crucial as the NCDs, like diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, chronic respiratory conditions, obesity, and cancer, now account for 50 per cent of hospital admissions and 39 per cent of deaths in Kenya.
The meeting sought to deliberate on proposed amendments to the Children Act (Cap. 141) and the Basic Education Act (Cap. 211), which seek to safeguard children’s health and nutrition in the face of these rising cases.
