Four million Children in Northern Nigeria malnourished - FG

The Federal Government says more than four million Children in the North-East and North-West Regions are malnourished.

Ladidi Bako-Aiyebusi, the Director of Nutrition Department in the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare , made this known on Wednesday at a five days Meeting with Nutrition Experts and Stakeholders in Keffi Local Government Area of Nasarawa state.

The Ministry is holding the Meeting in Partnership with Civil Society - Scaling Up Nutrition in Nigeria (CS-SUNN) and other Nutrition Partners on a Strategic Advocacy Policy for Nutrition in Nigeria.

The Meeting which started on Tuesday, will end on Saturday.

Those participating in the Meeting are Nutrition Experts, Academia, Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) among others.

In her opening remarks, Bako-Aiyebusi said the Meeting was called for Policy Directions to guide integrated Result Focus Advocacy on Nutrition Issues in Nigeria.

She added that currently, Nigeria faces severe crisis of triple burden of Malnutrition, evidence by widespread Macro and Micronutrient Deficiency, Undernutrition and Overnutrition with significant impact on Health and Socio-Economic Development.

“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.

“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 said.

She pointed out that Globally, Advocacy has been identified as a Productive Tool in promoting the Interest of Persons or Situations especially when it is Evidence-Based hence Nutrition.

”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-days Meeting.

“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,” she added.

Credit NAN: Texts excluding Headline