The Federal Government and state governments have renewed efforts to tackle malnutrition and child stunting by expanding nutrition interventions to households across Nigeria’s 774 local government areas under the Nutrition 774 Initiative.
The renewed commitment emerged during the Nigeria-Ethiopia Nutrition Leadership Exchange in Addis Ababa, where a Nigerian delegation led by Vice President Kashim Shettima examined Ethiopia’s approach to addressing malnutrition through coordinated interventions at national and grassroots levels.
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, said Nigeria would develop a roadmap with Ethiopia to strengthen existing nutrition policies and improve implementation. He stressed that tackling malnutrition required collaboration across healthcare, agriculture, education, water supply, sanitation and social protection.
Jigawa State Governor Umar Namadi said the success of the initiative would depend on reaching individual households through local governments, wards and communities. He cited his state’s nutrition programmes, including the training of about 600 women to produce nutritious food for children.
Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke emphasised the need to prioritise children under five and pregnant women, while Abia State Governor Alex Otti called for the adoption of proven strategies from other countries. Zamfara State Governor Dauda Lawal, meanwhile, highlighted how insecurity had disrupted farming and food production, worsening nutrition challenges.
The Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Tunji Alausa, stressed the importance of adequate nutrition during pregnancy and early childhood, while the Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Professor Joseph Utsev, identified clean water and proper sanitation as essential to improving nutrition outcomes.
The Federal Government said the initiative would strengthen coordination among federal, state and local authorities, with the aim of reducing malnutrition and stunting and improving the health and development of vulnerable households across the country.
Post comments (0)