EIGHTY per cent of children under two-years-old are anaemic, says Non-Communicable Disease national advisor Dr Isimeli Tukana.
While speaking at a Workshop to Develop Organic Agriculture Policy for Fiji in Lautoka today, he said this was the result of a lack of consumption of iron rich food by Fijians.
“Anaemia means that oxygen is not reaching your heart and your brain. We have fresh air but because you lack iron. Iron carries oxygen to your brain,” he said.
“Fiji is in the Top 10 countries that have the cleanest air in the world but that is no use when you don’t have iron in your body to carry that oxygen to your heart and to your brain.
“In Fiji, these are top sources of iron, water cress, ota, tubua, cassava, rourou, pumpkin and bele.
“But Fijians are eating food that is not rich in this chemical.”
He said more awareness was needed to encourage Fijians to consume healthier food.
“We need to encourage people to eat more vegetables and more importantly eat vegetables are readily available to us. We have all of this natural and organic food in our own backyards but we don’t seem to be eating it.”
The workshop hosted by the Foundation for Rural Integrated Enterprises and Development (FRIEND) Fiji brought together stakeholders in the agriculture and tourism community.
It is part of the UNDP funded Farm to Table Program and facilitated by the Pacific Community.
