..Says one in three Nigerians suffer malnutrition
By Joyce Remi-Babayeju
The Civil Society for Scaling Up Nutrition in Nigeria, CS SUNN, has urged the Nigerian Government and other Stakeholders’ in the Nutrition sector to fulfil their commitments accelerating the progress of nutrition in Nigeria.
This is as one in three Nigerians suffer malnutrition,CS SUNN stated.
The Executive Secretary of CS SUNN, Sunday Okoronkwo said this on Thursday in Abuja at a Media Roundtable Meeting organized to push for the concert fulfillment of commitment at all government levels to advance nutrition and to tackle malnutrition in the country.
Okoronkwo who was represented by Lilian Okafor, CS SUNN Communication Officer said,”Though some commitments for health and nutrition are yet to be fulfilled, CS SUNN commends the government for some levels of progress made on nutrition.”
“The approval of the National Multisectional Plan of Action for Food and Nutrition, domesticated by some states with the support from CS SUNN and approval of the establishment of Nutrition departments in all nutrition line ministers.”
The Nutrition agency further called for a paradigm shift from verbal to institutional, operational commitments.
“Such advocated shifts should include enabling legislation, policies, and plans for nutrition, improved coordination institutional framework, better data, monitoring, and accountability systems for nutrition, inclusive of Nigeria’s commitment at the Tokyo M4G Summit.”
Furthermore , CS SUNN called for more drive for community
nutrition commitments across the nation.
Also speaking at the Media Roundtable Meeting, the M4G Nutrition Policy Analyst, Chidinma Ezenwa disclosed that earlier in 2021, the N4G made commitments to reduce stunting prevalence in children from the current 37% to 25% by 2025.
According to the Nutrition Analyst,to ensure that nutrition is grounded across the nation, the N4G is using a scorecard as a monitoring tool to track the fulfilment of commitment by governors in the areas of advocacy and accountability.
Daybreak reports that the CS SUNN Media Roundtable Meeting was aimed at Advancing Nigeria’s nutrition commitment from pledges to concrete actions for improved nutrition outcomes.
