King Letsie III Leads High Level Nutrition Visit at Zewditu Memorial Hospital in Addis Ababa

His Majesty Letsie III, the African Union Nutrition Champion, led a high level visit to Zewditu Memorial Hospital in Addis Ababa as part of activities ahead of the African Union Summit. The visit placed child nutrition and survival at the centre of continental discussions. His Majesty arrived in Ethiopia a day earlier to participate in nutrition focused side meetings aligned with the summit agenda. The engagement reinforced Africa’s growing push to prioritise maternal and child health. It also signalled strong political leadership in advancing nutrition as a development priority.

The hospital visit was hosted by the Government of Ethiopia in partnership with Nutrition International. His Majesty was received by Her Excellency Dr. Mekdes Daba, Ethiopia’s Minister of Health, Dr. Yohannes Chala, Head of the Addis Ababa City Administration Health Bureau, and Dr. Tewodros Abule, Chief Executive Officer of the hospital. The presence of senior health officials reflected Ethiopia’s commitment to strengthening primary healthcare systems. Discussions during the reception focused on expanding access to essential nutrition services. Leaders also explored strategies to reduce preventable child deaths across the continent.

During the tour, His Majesty visited the nutrition screening unit, the therapeutic feeding ward, the children’s ward and the Oral Rehydration Therapy corner. These departments play a direct role in detecting and treating malnutrition, dehydration and related childhood illnesses. Malnutrition remains a leading underlying cause of child mortality in many African countries, contributing to nearly half of deaths among children under five according to global health data. Early screening and timely therapeutic feeding significantly improve survival rates. The visit offered practical insight into how hospital based nutrition interventions can save lives when supported by strong policy and funding.

A key highlight of the visit was when His Majesty personally administered Vitamin A supplements to children under five. Vitamin A supplementation is a proven, low cost intervention that strengthens immunity and reduces the risk of severe infections. Research shows that regular Vitamin A doses can reduce child mortality by up to 24 percent in areas with high deficiency rates. By taking part in the exercise, His Majesty demonstrated visible leadership and reinforced the urgency of scaling up simple, effective interventions. His action underscored the message that improving child survival requires both policy direction and hands on commitment.

In his remarks, His Majesty stressed that Africa cannot afford to treat child survival interventions as secondary priorities. He called on governments to place nutrition at the centre of national planning and budget allocation. He urged leaders to invest in preventive care, data driven programmes and community based services that reach vulnerable families. Strong political will, he noted, must translate into measurable outcomes such as reduced stunting, lower child mortality and improved maternal health. The visit to Zewditu Memorial Hospital sent a clear message that nutrition is not only a health issue but a foundation for Africa’s long term economic growth and human development.