‘2.5m Nigerian children may die of malnutrition’

Over 2.5 million Nigerian children are likely die of acute malnutrition if drastic intervention is not provided. Chris Isokpunwu, head of nutrition of the Federal Ministry of Health, who spoke at a media dialogue at the weekend in Owerri, noted that “everyday Nigeria loses about 2,300 children”.

Isokpunwu said the federal government and development partners are trying, but the states need to upscale the activities already in place to save the lives of children who are presently in need of nutrition intervention.

He called for increased advocacy to promote exclusive breast feeding for six months before introducing complementary feeding for infants.

Meanwhile, the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) speaking on the need to invest in nutrition to safe guard the lives of children, noted that though 2.5 million are suffering from severe acute malnutrition, much more Nigerian children are malnourished.

Donue Porter, chief of communication, said that UNICEF would love to cater for all these children but were unfortunately handicapped by finances.

“Though the problem is intensified in the North-east, almost all parts of Nigeria have pockets of malnourished children who are suffering and dying because they are unable to get the right kind of treatment,” he said. Porter noted that communitybased management of acute malnutrition is currently being implemented in 12 states, adding that in 2015, 400,000 children received CMAM services while 77,000 lives were saved.

She stated that acute malnutrition could be prevented in Nigeria if mothers breast feed their babies exclusively for six months and thereafter give three to four meals daily to children above six months.