2.5m Children In Nigeria Suffering Severe Acute Malnutrition — UNICEF
By Luminous Jannamike
United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) on Thursday said
about 2.5 million children under the age of five in Nigeria
are suffering severe acute malnutrition.
UNICEF’s nutrition specialist, Ms. Abigail Nyukuri, stated
this at a two-day media dialogue on integrated and timely
response to nutrition-related humanitarian needs, organised
in Maiduguri, the Borno state capital.
According to her, an estimated 440,000 boys and girls
under age five in Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe States are
affected by the disease in 2019.
UNICEF To Support Nigeria In Education, Health,
Sanitation Sectors
Nyukuri, who revealed that the prevalence rates of severe
acute malnutrition in the three Northeastern states are 11,
six, and 13 percents respectively, blamed protracted access
constraints and insecurity in the region for the worsening
situation.
She said, “These protracted conditions have made the
severe acute malnutrition situation even worse in Rann
(Kala Balge), South Yobe, Magumeri, Jere, and Konduga
LGAs.
“The poor nutrition situation is further exacerbated by poor
food security situation, sub-optimal Water, Hygiene, and
Sanitation practices and high Disease Burden.”
UNICEF warned that the key consequence of the abysmal
feeding situation in several parts of Nigeria would be
increased poverty levels in years to come.
“Malnutrition has dire consequences in the life of a child. It
is a vicious circle because a malnourished child has issues
with development, a compromised immunity status, and an
impaired cognitive and intellectual capacities.
“All these and other issues combine to lead to increased
poverty levels in the country because these children cannot
adopt productive lifestyles when they become adults. The
loss to Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) as result is
estimated at 16 percent annually,” Nyukuri said.
In his remarks, the Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai
Mohammed, noted that Nigeria’s future depends on
producing children who are well prepared to take their place
in tomorrow’s society.
He, however, said efforts were been made by the
government through policies and structures which aim at
managing the situation in the country.
Represented by Olumide Osanyinpeju, the ministry’s Deputy
Director and Head of Child Rights Information Bureau, the
Minister said, “Most, unfortunately, a large number of these
children are at risk of deprivations of basic amenities, of
which nutrition is inclusive; and especially in the Northern
rural and hard-to-reach communities.
“The Federal Government has come to the realisation that
lack of access to basic nutrition is an infringement on the
rights of the child.
Tijjani Wants Nigeria-Korea Model School
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“Hence, efforts have been made by the government in the
provision of policies and structures to manage malnutrition
in the country through various programmes to support
nutrition vis-à-vis Exclusive Breastfeeding, Complementary
Feeding from six months, even the Home Grown School
Feeding programme etc., which are all aimed at eliminating
poor feeding practice for children.”
Vanguard, Nigeria News.
United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) on Thursday said
about 2.5 million children under the age of five in Nigeria
are suffering severe acute malnutrition.
UNICEF’s nutrition specialist, Ms. Abigail Nyukuri, stated
this at a two-day media dialogue on integrated and timely
response to nutrition-related humanitarian needs, organised
in Maiduguri, the Borno state capital.
According to her, an estimated 440,000 boys and girls
under age five in Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe States are
affected by the disease in 2019.
UNICEF To Support Nigeria In Education, Health,
Sanitation Sectors
Nyukuri, who revealed that the prevalence rates of severe
acute malnutrition in the three Northeastern states are 11,
six, and 13 percents respectively, blamed protracted access
constraints and insecurity in the region for the worsening
situation.
She said, “These protracted conditions have made the
severe acute malnutrition situation even worse in Rann
(Kala Balge), South Yobe, Magumeri, Jere, and Konduga
LGAs.
“The poor nutrition situation is further exacerbated by poor
food security situation, sub-optimal Water, Hygiene, and
Sanitation practices and high Disease Burden.”
UNICEF warned that the key consequence of the abysmal
feeding situation in several parts of Nigeria would be
increased poverty levels in years to come.
“Malnutrition has dire consequences in the life of a child. It
is a vicious circle because a malnourished child has issues
with development, a compromised immunity status, and an
impaired cognitive and intellectual capacities.
“All these and other issues combine to lead to increased
poverty levels in the country because these children cannot
adopt productive lifestyles when they become adults. The
loss to Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) as result is
estimated at 16 percent annually,” Nyukuri said.
In his remarks, the Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai
Mohammed, noted that Nigeria’s future depends on
producing children who are well prepared to take their place
in tomorrow’s society.
He, however, said efforts were been made by the
government through policies and structures which aim at
managing the situation in the country.
Represented by Olumide Osanyinpeju, the ministry’s Deputy
Director and Head of Child Rights Information Bureau, the
Minister said, “Most, unfortunately, a large number of these
children are at risk of deprivations of basic amenities, of
which nutrition is inclusive; and especially in the Northern
rural and hard-to-reach communities.
“The Federal Government has come to the realisation that
lack of access to basic nutrition is an infringement on the
rights of the child.
Tijjani Wants Nigeria-Korea Model School
Replicated In 6 Geo-political Zones
“Hence, efforts have been made by the government in the
provision of policies and structures to manage malnutrition
in the country through various programmes to support
nutrition vis-à-vis Exclusive Breastfeeding, Complementary
Feeding from six months, even the Home Grown School
Feeding programme etc., which are all aimed at eliminating
poor feeding practice for children.”
Vanguard, Nigeria News.
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