FG: 4.4 million children in north-east, north-west are malnourished

The federal government says 4.4 million children in the north-east and north-west regions are malnourished.

Ladidi Bako-Aiyebusi, director of nutrition at the federal ministry of health and social welfare, said this on Wednesday during a 5-day meeting with nutrition experts and stakeholders in Keffi LGA of Nasarawa.

The meeting, which holds from August 20-24, is hosted in partnership with the Civil Society-Scaling Up Nutrition in Nigeria (CS-SUNN) and other partners of the strategic advocacy policy for nutrition in Nigeria.

Bako-Aiyebusi said identified causes of malnutrition include inadequate access to food, poor food consumption, and improper feeding. 

“In addition, the 2021 National Food Consumption and Micronutrient Survey report shows that nearly 4.4 million children in the north-east and north-west regions are malnourished,” NAN quoted Bako-Aiyebusi as saying.

“Identified causes of malnutrition include inadequate access to food, poor food consumption, improper feeding and caring practices, economic and political structures, low economic status, inadequate health-seeking behaviors and low level of education among the populace.”

She added that the meeting offers an opportunity for stakeholders to develop an integrated strategic advocacy process that would ensure nutrition for children in the region.

“Every  other component of health needs to be promoted through evidence-based advocacy. This is why the nutrition department of the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, in collaboration with relevant stakeholders, is hosting this 5-day meeting,” she added.

“It is for stakeholders to think through the process of developing a strategic document on effective ways to drive advocacy for nutrition in Nigeria putting Multiple Micronutrient Supplementation (MMS) into consideration and every other nutrition component along the life cycle, leaving no one behind.

“It is believed that the national advocacy strategic approach will enhance collaboration, integration, capacity strengthening as well as develop an investment case for addressing nutrition in the health sector.”

Kunle Ishola, programme officer at CS-SUNN, commended the initiative.

“If there is a way for it to go and it doesn’t go that way, don’t expect to see results. So having pushed issues of nutrition for years, we just felt that there is a need to channel a clear path for nutrition advocacy in the country,” Ishola said.

“The essence of the meeting is to come up with elements that makes effective advocacy on nutrition issues.”