More than four million children in the North East and North West regions are suffering from malnutrition, the Federal Government has declared.

The government listed several factors contributing to the widespread malnutrition as limited access to food, poor dietary habits and improper feeding practices.

These issues, according to the government, are exacerbated by broader economic and political challenges, as well as low health-seeking behaviors and educational levels among the population.

Speaking during a five-day meeting with nutrition experts and stakeholders in Keffi Local Government Area of Nasarawa State on Wednesday, the Director of Nutrition at the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Ladidi Bako-Aiyebusi said the situation has called for a collaborative mechanism to devise a strategic document that outlines effective advocacy for nutrition in Nigeria.

The five-day meeting in partnership with Civil Society-Scaling Up Nutrition in Nigeria (CS-SUNN) and other key partners involved in strategic advocacy for nutrition in the country is expected to achieve the goal of partnerships -centered approach to solving the challenges

Referring to the 2021 National Food Consumption and Micronutrient Survey report, Bako-Aiyebusi said: “The report shows that nearly 4.4 million children in the north-east and north-west regions are malnourished.

“The causes of this malnutrition are complex, including inadequate access to food, poor food consumption, improper feeding and caring practices, low economic status, and insufficient education among the populace.”

She added that the ongoing meeting is a crucial opportunity for stakeholders to develop a comprehensive and integrated strategic advocacy process to improve nutrition for children in these regions.

“This meeting is essential for promoting every component of health through evidence-based advocacy.

“That is why the nutrition department of the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, in collaboration with relevant stakeholders, is hosting this five-day event.

“The goal is to devise a strategic document that outlines effective advocacy for nutrition in Nigeria, taking into account Multiple Micronutrient Supplementation (MMS) and other critical nutrition components throughout the life cycle, ensuring no one is left behind,” she said.

She expressed hope that the national advocacy strategy would strengthen collaboration, integration, and capacity building, as well as create an investment case for addressing nutrition in the health sector.

On his part, while commending the initiative, Kunle Ishola, Programme Officer at CS-SUNN, also stressed the importance of a clear path for nutrition advocacy in Nigeria.

According to him, after years of pushing for better nutrition policies, it became evident that the country needed a well-defined strategy for effective advocacy.

He however emphasized that the purpose of the meeting is to identify the key elements that will drive successful advocacy efforts on nutrition issues in the country. (The Nation)

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