Regulatory Overreach Puts Malnutrition Fight on Hold: Health Ministry Suspends Key Treatment

In what critics are calling a case of regulatory overreach, the Ministry of Health has suspended the use of Replenish, an innovative ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF) product, instrumental in the fight against severe malnutrition. This suspension, based on isolated reports of adverse reactions, puts at risk vital nutrition programs for the most vulnerable. The move raises concerns about the potential stifling of local industry innovation and the prioritization of bureaucratic caution over practical health solutions, spotlighting the need for balanced regulation that supports both health safety and economic vitality.