MNCHW: Poor nutrition causes deformity, bitterness in children — Expert

Nutrition Officer of the Ebonyi State Ministry of Health, Cyprian Ogbonna, has identified poor nutrition as the cause of lungs, kidney, brain and other vital organ diseases affecting underweight children.

According to Ogbonna, any underweight child cannot give birth to children above 2 kg as an adult due to many developmental problems in the affected person.

He also added that underweight children are always angry as they are often unfit for peer activities in school. He then urged mothers to ensure that they eat nutritious and balanced meals when pregnant.

Ogbonna disclosed this during the official flag-off ceremony of Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Week (MNCHW) organized by the State Ministry of Health, State Primary healthcare Development Agency in collaboration with the USAID-Breakthrough Action – Nigeria (BA-N) and other partners.

His exact words, “The issue of nutrition should be taken seriously by all parents.

“Where there is a nutrition problem, it could lead to permanent deformity.

“Any newborn that is not up to 2kg is referred to as an underweight.

“Such condition affects the baby’s lungs, the brain, and in fact many vital organs.

“Such a baby will definitely have developmental problems, and cannot as an adult give birth to a child above 2Kg.

“A child with low birth weight also has limited comprehension and cannot do well in school.

“Moreover, children who are malnourished are more likely to exhibit anger and bitterness as they are often unfit for peer activities in school.”

“It is therefore important that pregnant women especially, and children should eat healthy diets containing all essential food components 

“For the newborn, breast milk exclusively for the first six months is recommended.”

On his part, the Programme Manager, State Emergency Routine Immunization Coordinating Centre for USAID- BA-N, Dr. Miracle Ogbu, said the flag-off was a period of high impact integrated health services that will reach out to mother and child.

He then listed the components of the week to include the administration of Vitamin A supplements and deworming tablets to infants as well as the Multiple Multinutrient Supplement to prevent anaemia in children and pregnant women.

He also noted that the week would also feature other shared services targeted at both the mothers and their children, including family planning, birth registration, health promotion, HIV/AIDS prevention and other social behavior change advocacies.

Collaborating, the Director, Community Health Services of the National Primary HealthCare  Development Agency, Dr. Chris Elemuwa, admonished primary healthcare  workers in the State to take the weeklong activity with utmost commitment; the agency does not joke with all issues concerning women and children.

Meanwhile, In a presentation, Charity Odio the Advocacy and capacity strengthening officer for USAID -BA-N and Victor Ibekwe program officer social mobilization unit USAID-BA-N, advised mothers to go back to natural foods sourced from farms and gardens around their environment, stressing that such are better than canned, preserved and overprocessed foods.

Goodwill messages were delivered by the Executive Secretary, State Primary HealthCare Development Agency, Dr Chimhurumnanya Aloh, representative of USAID-Integrated Health Program and other partners.

Highlights of the event was the administration of Vitamin A supplements to under 5 children.

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