A public health expert, Dr. Folashade Oludara, has emphasized the urgent need to integrate nutritionists and dietitians into Nigeria’s primary healthcare (PHC) system to enhance quality of life and prevent diseases.
Oludara, who heads the Family Health and Nutrition Directorate at the Lagos State Ministry of Health, said such integration would significantly reduce malnutrition in communities and improve overall health outcomes.
She made this call while speaking as a guest at the maiden edition of the retreat organized by the Lagos Health Service Commission (LHSC) Dietitians and Nutritionists. She was represented by Oluwaseyi Ososanya, a Dietitian and Child Health Officer with the ministry.
Oludara noted that nutritionists and dietitians are often underutilised within the health system, stressing the need for their proper inclusion and visibility across healthcare services.
The retreat, themed “Redefining Dietetics and Nutrition Profession in LHSC: Bridging Gaps and Breaking Barriers,” focused on elevating the relevance of the profession in Nigeria’s health framework.
“Nutrition plays a vital role in promoting health, preventing disease, and improving quality of life,” she said. “There’s an urgent need to integrate nutrition professionals into PHCs to ensure early nutritional intervention, which can significantly impact health outcomes.”
She added that such integration would allow for timely identification of nutritional issues, early screening of patients, on-site consultations, and routine nutritional assessments at the community level.
Oludara also advocated for greater investment in the professional development of dietitians and nutritionists through government and private sector partnerships to enhance the visibility and efficacy of the profession.
Also speaking at the event, Dr. Olawale Adegbite of the LHSC highlighted the need to strengthen the presence and influence of dietitians and nutritionists within the healthcare system.
In his presentation titled “Elevating the Voice of Dietitians and Nutritionists in the Health Service Commission,” Adegbite underscored the importance of good nutrition as the bedrock of wellness.
He noted that the Commission is taking steps to redefine the roles of dietitians and nutritionists, ensure structured career progression, and implement policies to bridge gaps within the system and empower the profession.
