Nigeria Regressing in Fight Against Malnutrition—NNTWG
The Chairperson of the National Nutrition Technical Working Group (NNTWG) under the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Ngozi Nnam, has sounded the alarm over Nigeria's rising malnutrition rates.
Latest data reveals a significant increase in child stunting rates, climbing from 37% to 40%, raising concerns about the country's progress in addressing this critical health challenge.
Source: Original
Speaking on Thursday in Abuja during a two-day meeting held in collaboration with FHI360/Alive and Thrive, Professor Nnam expressed deep concern about the nation’s regression in the fight against malnutrition.
The meeting aimed to review Nigeria's health sector nutrition priorities and strategize ways to reverse the growing crisis.
“We have regressed instead of making progress. It’s not an encouraging development, and we are here to aggressively address this issue.
"Our goal is to ensure that in the next report, we see significant improvements,” Professor Nnam said.
She emphasized the need for urgent and coordinated efforts to tackle malnutrition.
She pointed to the lasting impact of the COVID-19 pandemic as one of the contributing factors to the deteriorating malnutrition rates.
According to Nnam, the pandemic disrupted food production, social security, and childcare systems, creating a ripple effect that has hindered progress in combating malnutrition across the country.
“The COVID era disrupted many aspects of life, and it’s not surprising that our malnutrition rates haven’t improved. This trend was seen globally,” she explained, adding that insufficient funding and weak support systems have further exacerbated the problem.
Professor Nnam called for the establishment of a consortium to examine the long-term effects of the pandemic on malnutrition and food security, particularly with a focus on improving child health outcomes.
Despite the alarming statistics, she remains optimistic that with the right interventions and collaborations, Nigeria can reverse the trend.
Salisu Abubakar, Vice Chairman of the NNTWG, also addressed the gathering, underscoring the group's role in coordinating nutrition activities across multiple sectors.
He stressed the importance of expanding the focus beyond maternal and child nutrition to address malnutrition among school-age children, adolescents, and the elderly.
“Most cases of malnutrition we focus on involve children and women, particularly those aged 0-5 and mothers. But it’s time to fill the gap for school-age children, adolescents, and even the elderly, who also face malnutrition challenges,” Abubakar stated.
FHI360/Alive and Thrive, a key partner of the NNTWG, has played an instrumental role in supporting the Nigerian government’s efforts to combat malnutrition.
The organization’s work focuses on using evidence-based approaches to save lives, prevent illness, and improve the health and well-being of mothers, children, and adolescents.
Among the initiatives spearheaded by FHI360/Alive and Thrive is the Multiple Micronutrient Supplements Landscape Analysis (MMS-LAN) across 18 Nigerian states, in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare.
The organization has also provided technical expertise in the development of the National Social and Behaviour Change Communication (SBCC) strategy.
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Source: Legit.ng
