Abstract:
Many elderly people have hypertension, and
health systems are faced with the challenge of responding to
the needs of this population. The availability of Nutrition
Management Service (NMS) in Out Patient Department (OPD)
services is one of the strategies that have the potential to
control these patients' blood pressure. The study sought to
investigate the availability of NMS for the hypertensive
outpatient elderly in Thamae Health Centre and Khubetsona
Health Centre. The study was a descriptive cross-sectional
study employing both qualitative and quantitative data
collection methods. NMS was found to be available in the
facilities, but incomplete. Of all the patients followed, 16.2%
received nutrition counseling and 9.5% received nutrition
follow-up, but none of them received nutrition screening. NMS
is available in the facilities but it is incomplete, due to many
factors which originate from the planners' failure to plan for
it.
