In Nigeria, it has been feared that a total number of 300,000 children within the ages of 0-5 years are set to lose their lives due to acute malnutrition in 2016 if drastic measures to tackle the menace are not being put in place.
While at a retreat on Wednesday in Abuja of which malnutrition was discussed and was titled: “Malnutrition: the major cause of under five-5 mobility and mortality in Kaduna state: call for action”, Zakari Fusheri, a nutrition specialist in UNICEF, Abuja office, made this known.
Fusheri stated that policies needed to be put in place to prevent children from dying as malnutrition is beyond poverty and educational status, with more emphasis on the enlightenment of mothers.
Over 1.6 million Nigerian children are suffering from acute malnutrition and this means that the children are nine times likely to die than normal children and if nothing is done about it, we will likely loose 300,000 of these children. – he said.
He also sated that UNICEF has been working with the government in providing ready to use therapeutic foods, stating their importance for children, as it was going to aid the treatment of severe malnutrition.
He also stated the need for us to come together because nutrition goes beyond poverty and even beyond educational status.
In rich homes, there are still presentations of malnutrition. it also has to do with how it is been tackled, using the multi-sectoral approach. – Fusheri said.
