According to UNICEF, 100 children under the age of five pass away in Nigeria every hour from malnutrition. The National Council on Nutrition (NCN) meeting was held on Thursday in Abuja, where Nemat Hajeebhoy, the organization’s chief nutrition officer, made this statement. Another 15 million children, who are at risk of “wasting,” the phrase used to describe children who become emaciated due to hunger, are at risk, according to Hajeebhoy, if immediate action is not taken.
The nutrition officer explained that 300 children would have perished in this nation by the time this meeting was through. A child has a 12 times greater chance of dying if they are undernourished. Without immediate action, up to 15 million children would have suffered from what we refer to as “wasting” this year and next year in modern times (thin children).
There is a huge nutrition emergency in the country.
This is a sign that the nation is experiencing what is known as a nutrition emergency. In terms of the overall number of malnourished children, Nigeria is ranked first in Africa and second worldwide. Even if there is some good news, there has been a sluggish but steady drop in stunting over time. Furthermore, Nigeria’s economy is losing 15% of its GDP due to the gradual rate of decline.
Abimbola Adesanmi, the senior special assistant to the president on nutrition in the office of the vice president, also spoke during the event and stated that the federal government has developed measures to eradicate hunger in the nation. In accordance with SDG 2’s objective of eradicating hunger and all forms of malnutrition, The NCN as the highest decision-making body for Nutrition in the country has ensured that national indicators are aligned with global targets through national policies, strategies, and guidelines, Adesanmi said.
Officials have been deployed in order to attain the SDG goal.
On the policy front, the government has created the National Multi-Sectoral Plan of Action for Food and Nutrition in Nigeria (2019-2023), National Policy on Food and Nutrition in Nigeria (2016-2025), and Agricultural Promotion Policy (2016-2020), among others, in accordance with national development plans and the achievement of the SDGs. Rasaq Oyeleke, director of nutrition in the ministry of agriculture, asserted that Nigeria can only have a healthy population if it can supply adequate nourishment.
Stunting and wasting, two of these kinds of malnutrition, are especially prevalent in the States in northern Nigeria. Significant problems to the nation’s development and public health are brought on by high rates of malnutrition. Stunting is associated with poor cognitive development, subpar academic performance, and low adult output in addition to an increased chance of death. In total, these are thought to be responsible for economic losses that could equal up to 11% of GDP.
UNICEF’s programme supports the government on the National Plan of Action.
By bolstering health and community systems and thoroughly integrating nutrition into all facets of the Primary Health Care (PHC) system, UNICEF’s program helps the government implement the National Plan of Action on Food and Nutrition. A special emphasis is placed on Community Management of Acute Malnutrition (CMAM), Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF) interventions, and micronutrient supplementation. The nutrition interventions of UNICEF are also coordinated and convergent with those of other sectors, such as antenatal care, the prevention and treatment of pneumonia and diarrhea, immunization, deworming, the distribution of insecticide-treated mosquito nets, and the nutrition of pregnant women and adolescent girls.
Related Link
UNICEF: Website
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Alot of children die as a result of not eating well. Malnutrition is actually a common disease among children. It is caused by taking of unhealthy food and also lack of food. We should help our children stay healthy
Truthfully, a child has lesser chances of survival when malnourished compared to an adult. But sadly, malnutrition is almost inevitable when the parents of these wards are entrenched in extreme poverty. With UNICEF’s plan, there should be a significant reduction in mortality rate of children.
Imaging the figure of children passing away due to malnutrition our government have non chalant attitude towards it’s citizenry and it is disheartening at this present time
This is so sad that amount of children die within one hour because of malnutrition for not taking health food, poverty is part of what cause malnutrition because they are unable to get a better food to eat
More of this UNICEF’s program and necessary intervention program should be priotized by the government to help revamp and save the lifes of childrens and infants suffering from malnutrition across the country.
This comment was made by the organization’s chief nutrition officer earlier today. Another 15 million children are at danger of wasting, which is the term used to describe youngsters who grow emaciated as a result of hunger.
If a youngster is malnourished, their risk of passing away is significantly increased. If quick action had not been taken, a lot of children in modern times would have been affected by what we refer to as wasting in both the current year and the following year.
This is evidence that the country is going through what is regarded as a nutrition emergency in terms of the overall number of children who are undernourished.
Even though there is some good news, the rate of stunting has been decreasing over time in a manner that is slow but consistent.
the slow pace of deterioration in Nigeria’s economy is causing a loss of some percentage of the country’s GDP, which is unfortunate since it will have an impact on a large number of people.
Hunger kills many children. Childhood malnutrition is prevalent. Diet and hunger induce it. Helping kids stay healthy
In terms of the total number of children who are suffering from malnutrition, Nigeria ranks first in Africa and second in the globe.
The states located in northern Nigeria have a disproportionately high incidence of stunting and wasting, two of the most common types of malnutrition.
Because of its position as the country’s top nutrition policymaking authority, the NCN has facilitated the alignment of national metrics with global targets.
The significant prevalence of undernourishment in a nation’s population can pose serious challenges for the nation’s economic growth and general health.
It saddens the heart children die within one hour because of malnutrition. poverty is one of the causes of malnutrition. I believe with UNICEF’s plan, there should be a significant reduction in mortality rate of children.
UNICEF says 100 children die of malnutrition in Nigeria every hour. government please you people should do the needful to help our children.
celebrates please support our children
When all kinds of things ranging from Boko Haram, insurgency, inflation etc are plaguing the nation malnutrition is bound to surface amid all these situations.Many little children are already affected by these.
It is so pathetic that the children are subjected to malnutritious due to the high level of attacks on farms, attacks from Boko Haram.
This is really sad. The major cause of these malnutrition is extremely poverty. That’s what the country have been battling with for decades. To improve and preserve the lives of kids and infants suffering from malnutrition all around the country, the government should mobilize more of this UNICEF program and essential intervention program.