UNICEF advocates three-prong strategies to combat malnutrition

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has promoted three prong strategies to combat the concerning trend of malnutrition, community awareness, sustained political will, and strategic government investments.

Philomena Irene, Nutrition Specialist with UNICEF Nigeria, Bauchi filed office who stated this in  Jos, Plateau State at the end of a two-day media dialogue organized by the UNICEF Nigeria in partnership with key stakeholders stated that the issue of malnutrition was not just a health issue but also an economic and national development issue.

The Nutrition Specialist stressed the importance of exclusive breast feeding from birth to six months saying that it is critical for children, and that attention should then move to introducing nutrient-rich complementary foods.

She revealed that the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey conducted in Plateau State in 2021 depicted that two out of every three children suffer from food poverty, meaning they lack access to the minimum dietary diversity needed for proper growth.

 “Our goal with this dialogue is to mobilize awareness and foster government and community action to improve child nutrition outcomes.” She declared.

Irene also highlighted the significant consequences of malnutrition on cognitive and physical development, especially in the 6–23 months age range, which falls within the first 1,000 days of life, a scientifically proven window critical to lifelong development.

The nutrition specialist warned that failing to invest in nutrition carries steep costs for families and the country. “It costs ₦21,000 to prevent malnutrition, but more than ₦190,000 to treat it. The return on investment is clear for every $1 spent on nutrition, we get $16 in economic return,” Irene added, citing research from the World Bank and Lancet Series.

One of the key interventions spotlighted at the event was the introduction of Small Quantity Lipid-Based Nutrient Supplements (SQ-LNS)—a specialized supplement for enriching the diets of children during the complementary feeding period.

She explained that in 2024, Plateau State committed $200,000 to the Child Nutrition Fund, which was matched by UNICEF adding that the  joint funding enabled the state to procure over 5,900 cartons of SQ-LNS for distribution.

The Nutritionist further revealed that discussions are underway to commence local production of SQ-LNS in Nigeria, a move aimed at reducing costs and creating jobs.

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