…..CS-SUNN urges swift action on Nigeria’s malnutrition crisis
The Civil Society Scaling Up Nutrition in Nigeria (CS-SUNN) has called for urgent measures to tackle malnutrition in the country.
Its Executive Secretary, Mr Sunday Okoronkwo, made the call during a media roundtable on Thursday in Abuja, highlighting alarming statistics on stunted children due to malnutrition.
He underscored the problem of unfulfilled commitments, citing delays in implementation and a gap between promises and actions.
He, therefore, stressed the imperative of shifting from verbal to operational commitments, advocating for meaningful mechanisms, improved coordination and enhanced accountability systems for nutrition.
Reaffirming CS-SUNN’s commitment to advancing the country’s nutrition agenda, he cited ongoing projects like the PINNS-2.0.
The PINNS 2.0 is a three-year project designed to make the Nigerian nutrition system more Result-driven, Effective, Serviceable, Efficient and Transparent for Human Capital Development (RESET4HCD).
The long term plan, which is hoped to be achieved by 2030, is that about 20 million additional children under the age of five years will survive and not be stunted in any way, physically or psychologically.
The CS-SUNN boss also called for continued collaboration to raise awareness, generate data, and mobilise resources for improved nutrition in the country.
The roundtable, echoing the critical role of fulfilling political commitments, marked the final gathering for 2023.
It aims to kickstart concerted efforts to fulfill commitments and expedite progress for nutrition.
The Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) highlighted grave concern about stunting prevalence, while double burden of malnutrition in women compounds the challenge.
In spite of commitments made by government officials at various summits, pledges often linger on paper without necessary follow-through.
In-country commitments such as increased funding and maternity leave encounter delays, leaving some unfulfilled.
…..CS-SUNN urges swift action on Nigeria’s malnutrition crisis
