FCT raises alarm over malnutrition, pushes for six-month paid maternity leave

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has raised concerns over worsening nutrition challenges, calling for urgent interventions, including the adoption of six-month paid maternity leave to protect the health of mothers and children in Abuja.

The Acting Executive Secretary of the FCT Primary Health Care Board, Dr. Ruqayya Wamakko, disclosed this during a one-day state-level media dialogue and stakeholder engagement on the Child Nutrition Fund (CNF) and maternity leave organised by Civil Society-Scaling Up Nutrition in Nigeria (CS-SUNN) in the nation’s capital.

Wamakko said structural and systemic challenges continue to limit access to key health and nutrition interventions in the FCT, despite its status as the country’s capital. She noted that many essential commodities are not readily available, particularly in hard-to-reach communities.

“People will be surprised that in the Federal Capital Territory, a very critical intervention or commodity may not even be available,” she said, explaining that the FCT operates under a unique administrative structure that affects funding and access to interventions.

According to her, allocations from the federal government are largely based on the number of local government areas and political representation, which places the FCT at a disadvantage despite its growing population.

She added that while the city centre reflects development, several rural and peri-urban communities still lack basic amenities, including access to clean drinking water.

“There are communities within the FCT where even clean drinking water is difficult to access. If you go beyond the city centre, you will see that things are not fine,” she said, adding that development partners often focus on urban areas, while remote communities remain underserved due to security concerns.

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Wamakko also raised concerns over the diversion and misuse of nutrition commodities meant for free distribution, noting that such items are sometimes sold in markets while vulnerable children are unable to access them.

She stressed that malnutrition remains a serious problem in the FCT, contrary to the common belief that residents are better off because of the city’s status.

The State Nutrition Officer, Chinyere Christian Ekwueme, warned that malnutrition has long-term consequences on children’s health, education, and productivity.

She said malnourished children may earn up to 20 per cent less income as adults, adding that countries can lose as much as 11 per cent of their Gross Domestic Product due to malnutrition.

She explained that the problem is driven by multiple factors, including household food insecurity, inadequate care and feeding practices, limited access to health services, and poor living conditions.

She also disclosed that Nigeria is facing a funding gap of over 83 per cent in nutrition investment, describing the situation as a major development challenge.

Ekwueme stressed the importance of investing in the first 1,000 days of a child’s life—from conception to the second birthday—describing it as a critical period that determines lifelong health and development.

Also speaking, the Director of Food and Nutrition Economics, Planning, Revenue Generation, and Public-Private Partnership, Princess Celina Gaza Oluwafemi, said the Child Nutrition Fund would help address malnutrition among children in the FCT.

She added that six-month paid maternity leave would allow mothers to practise exclusive breastfeeding while also improving productivity in the workplace.

In a statement, the Executive Secretary of Civil Society-Scaling Up Nutrition in Nigeria (CS-SUNN), Sunday Okoronkwo, said malnutrition threatens children’s future earnings and the country’s economy, citing studies which show that malnourished children earn less as adults while nations lose significant economic value.

He said recent data show worrying nutrition indicators, including low exclusive breastfeeding rates and high levels of anaemia among women and children, stressing that the Child Nutrition Fund presents a major opportunity for the FCT to expand access to evidence-based interventions.

Okoronkwo urged the FCT authorities to adopt six-month paid maternity leave, describing it as one of the most effective ways to protect children from infections, improve cognitive development, and reduce healthcare costs.

He also called on journalists to use data-driven reporting to raise awareness and hold stakeholders accountable for commitments made to improve nutrition outcomes in the territory.