The Federal Government has reported that more than four million children in the country’s Northeast and Northwest regions are currently suffering from malnutrition.
This alarming figure was disclosed by the Director of the Nutrition Department at the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Ladidi Bako-Aiyebusi, during a five-day strategic meeting in Keffi, Nasarawa State.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria, the gathering, which began on Tuesday and will conclude on Saturday, involves nutrition experts, stakeholders, and various civil society organizations (CSOs).
The event, organized in collaboration with Civil Society-Scaling Up Nutrition in Nigeria (CS-SUNN) and other partners, aims to address the critical nutrition issues facing the nation and establish clear policy guidelines.
In her opening statement, Bako-Aiyebusi highlighted the gravity of Nigeria’s current malnutrition crisis, which manifests in a “triple burden” of malnutrition.
This includes widespread deficiencies in macro and micronutrients, undernutrition, and overnutrition, all of which severely impact the country’s health and socio-economic development.
“In addition, the 2021 National Food Consumption and Micronutrient Survey report shows that nearly 4.4 million children in the Northeast and Northwest regions are malnourished.
“Identified causes of malnutrition include inadequate access to food, poor food consumption, improper feeding and caring practices, economic and political structures, low economic status, inadequate health-seeking behaviors and low level of education among the populace,” Bako-Aiyebusi said.
