A tiny packet of peanut butter "stuffed" with milk, vitamins and minerals is revolutionizing the care of desperately malnourished children in Niger. As we know, the world watched as Niger suffered the slow-motion catastrophe of starvation and did nothing when we could have saved so many for so little. Now we are sort of acting, but it will cost a lot more and be a lot less effective.
One good bit of news: Plumpy'nut, that "sports bar" of sorts that lets mothers feed their own children rather than have to leave the kids under the intensive care of a hospital. It reduces costs, leaves doctors free to treat the desperately ill and costs about $20 for a month of Plumpy'nut. That's right, $5 a week.
Which raises a question: if Plumpy'nut is good enough to give malnourished children in food emergencies, why not give it to the countless thousands of children in Niger who are hungry when the world's attention is directed elsewhere?To get 1.5 million children back onto the road to health would cost $30 million, known in international circles as "chump change."
Paging the "culture of life" President. Hello? Are you there?
