NGO urges government to invest in food, nutrition

THE Civil Society-Scaling Up Nutrition in Nigeria (CS-SUNN) has urged the three tiers of government to invest in food and nutrition to build human capital and improve health outcomes in Nigeria.

Mr Sunday Okoronkwo, Project Manager of CS-SUNN, spoke on the sidelines of validation meeting of the Lagos State Specific Plan on Food and Nutrition organised by CS-SUNN on Thursday in Lagos.

Okoronkwo said that investments in food and nutrition could build human capital, boost shared prosperity and improve health outcomes in the country.

“According to UNICEF, every single day, Nigeria loses about 2,300 under five years old and 145 women of childbearing age.

“This makes the country the second largest contributor to under-five and maternal mortality rate in the world.

“Those who survive often become stunted, and stunting is the major indicator used to measure childhood malnutrition.

ALSO READ: We will improve the living standard of Benue people ― Jime

“Poor physical growth and brain development resulting from poor nutrition in children make them not to thrive and live to their full potential,” Okoronkwo said.

He said that causes of malnutrition include inadequate dietary intake, inadequate access to food, inadequate care for children and women and insufficient health services.

“CS-SUNN recognises that chronic malnutrition or stunting has multiple causes.

“This is why it requires people and programmes to work together and put nutrition into all developmental efforts, and develop sustainable solutions that work,” Okoronkwo said.

He said that some nutrition sensitive strategies increase the impact of specific actions for nutrition which include making nutritious food more accessible to everyone.

“Others are: improving access to reduce infection and disease, making sure children have the nutrition needed to learn and earn a decent income as adults,” Okoronkwo said.

Also, Mrs Olubunmi Braheem, the State Nutrition Officer of CS-SUNN, said the major goal was to attain optimal nutritional status for all Nigerians, with emphasis on the most vulnerable groups.

Braheem said that this could be achieved by domesticating the national policy and plan of action on food and nutrition at the state level, especially in Lagos State.

“Also, by undertaking high-level advocacy to top state government officials for commitment and release of nutrition budget in the state.

“The outcome of this meeting is to attest to the Lagos State policy on food and nutrition and authenticate the developed strategic plan of action for implementation,” she said.

Braheem said the organisation was determined to improve food security at the state, community and household levels and reduce undernutrition among infants, children, adolescents and women of reproductive age.