UNICEF, the United Nations’ Fund for Children, has renewed its request for additional financing in the nutrition sector to reduce the prevalence of child malnutrition.
Data from the National Health Demographics showed that around 12 million children under the age of five in Nigeria are still malnourished, with one in three at risk of stunting and three million under the age of five wasted due to inadequate nutrition.
UNICEF Nutrition Officer Nkeiru Enwelum told journalists in Port-Harcourt that investment in nutrition should be prioritized and that financial shortages must be resolved because malnutrition is now widespread across Nigeria, including in formerly unaffected areas.
Enwelum cautioned that the poor health of the majority of Nigeria’s children under the age of five is a worrying sign for the country’s future.
Enwelum outlined the urgent need for greater financing to facilitate advocacy efforts in far-flung villages and offer treatment for children with acute malnutrition in a presentation titled “Investing in child malnutrition for the future.”
The Nigerian government must invest its own resources towards solving the problem of malnutrition among children.
In order to prevent diseases that stunt children’s growth, funding nutrition means that kids can get vitamin A supplements and be dewormed.
Since it costs less money to prevent malnutrition than it does to treat it, the government should focus on doing so.
“Multi-sectoral action is also needed to ensure that all sectors are working together and the health sector is delivering on all the nutrition interventions,” Enwelum said.
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