By Justina Auta
Lai Mohammed, Nigeria’s Minister of Information and Culture, on Thursday, identified malnutrition as a threat to the survival, growth, and development of Nigerian children.
Mohammed, represented by the Permanent Secretary, Mrs Lydia Shehu-Jafiya stated this at the inauguration of the Special National Food and Nutrition Media Team in Abuja.
According to him, nutrition was critical towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), improved health and development, hence the need to tackle challenges mitigating it.
”We must note that Nigeria is ranked number one in Africa, and number two globally in terms of the number of malnourished children.
”With an estimated 14.7 million children under the age of five years predicted to suffer this year from wasting, a condition from moderate and severe to acute malnutrition.
”Malnutrition threatens the survival, growth, and development of millions of our children,” he said.
The minister noted the slow result outcomes and observed gaps in nutrition investment in the country, especially in areas of monitoring, evaluation, and accountability to stakeholders.
He explained that inaugurating the National Media Team on nutrition would aid in enhancing and implementing programs and interventions on nutrition in the country, especially in rural areas.
”The team, with support from other nutrition stakeholders, will develop a National Nutrition Media Strategy, engage in continuous public nutrition literacy, and follow up on all issues relating to nutrition reporting, monitoring, and evaluation processes.
”It is worthy to note that effective and efficient monitoring of nutrition programs through media spotlighting on nutrition issues and feedback mechanisms on the utilization of resources expended on nutrition will improve accountability.
”And this will ultimately lead to an increase in nutrition investment by major stakeholders in the country,” he said.
Also, Mrs Abimbola Adesanmi Senior Special Assistant to President on Nutrition, highlighted the role nutrition plays in the development of a healthy and productive nation.
Adesanmi, represented by Mr Emmanuel Ohiomokhare, Communication Expert, National Council on Nutrition (NCN) Delivery Unit, said the media team will assist government reduce morbidity and mortality associated with malnutrition.
”Prof. Yemi Osinbajo desires that every nutrition intervention contributes to ensuring every household in rural, peri-urban, and urban areas have access, can afford, and indeed benefit from nutrition interventions as made available by Government, in collaboration with their partners and numerous stakeholders.
“The establishment of a Delivery Unit for the NCN ensures the effective and frequent use of data to drive improvement and communicate better results to policymakers and decision-makers for improved nutrition outcomes,” she said.
Mr. Salem Akindele-Rock, a Nutrition, and Health Advocate, highlighted the media ‘s role in addressing malnutrition in the country.
”The lacuna created by the seeming shut-out of the media in the area of Food and Nutrition intervention is manifest in the stark reality confronting us today as it relates to malnutrition, stunting, other nutrition-related sicknesses, and indeed all ailments in general.
”It takes the partnership of the Media to reach everyone with enlightenment, education, and Multi-Sectoral Advocacy on Food and Nutrition Values and to generally promote virtues that will minimize, if not eradicate Food and Nutrition challenges in the country.
He explained that the team was expected to create awareness through public sensitization by way of adverts, appearances on programs, and production of documentaries, features, drama, etc that will advance the course of Food and Nutrition, amongst others.
Also, Dr Osita Okonkwo, Country Director, Nutrition International, said: “We need to know that nutrition plays a key role in our health and our health also plays a key role in how we can address development issues in our communities.
”There is no way we can achieve our desires if we don’t work with the media to share information with them on what we do, what government does, and they play a key role in sharing the information, government policies, and actions to the communities.
Also, Ms Subomi Chuku, Representing Task Team Lead of, the Accelerating Nutrition Results in Nigeria (ANRIN) project, Worldbank, stressed the need for more public enlightenment to address malnutrition.
She said: “It is clear that not enough publicity on malnutrition, which contributes to infant child and maternal mortality, but greatly reduces the economic prosperity of our nation.
”I charge the media team to work with the stakeholders in the nutrition space to highlight barriers to knowledge on nutrition and promote various initiatives, policies, studies, and programs being implemented to reduce malnutrition across the country.”
Miss Ngozi Atasie, one of the media team members said: “I will be able to showcase the different missions that the ministry will engage in and assist them in creating awareness on nutrition.”
