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Health

NGO advocates increased funding for nutrition

NGO advocates increased funding for nutrition
NAN-HG-6
Nutrition
By Bukola Olaifa
Abuja, Sept. 18, 2017 (NAN) Women Friendly Initiative (WFI), an NGO, has advocated for increased budget line for nutrition in the country.
The group specifically advised the Bwari Legislative Council in the FCT-Abuja on Monday to increase its funding for nutrition.
The Programme Officer of WFI, Mrs Rosemary Adaji, made the appeal during a meeting with the legislative arm of the council to fast track the release of funds to nutrition officers.
Adaji explained that malnutrition occurs when people consistently do not consume the right amounts or types of food and essential nutrients they required.
She said that 17 children are currently malnourished following the outcome of their findings in the area.
Adaji stated that malnutrition in infants is caused by poor maternal nutrition and wrong practices, which she noted can only be addressed with proper nutrition.
Also speaking the Nutrition Officer of Bwari Area Council, Mrs Bolatito Illesanmi, said that the council has record of 17 malnourished children which may seem small but significant due to its lasting effects on the child especially females.
Illesanmi disclosed that the council has over 48 primary healthcare centres but only 20 have nutrition corners for nutritional issues.
According to her, only three of the primary healthcare centres have functional nutrition corners.
She attributed lack of nutritional corner to lack of resources, adding that the N700m budget for nutrition has not been accessed.
The Head of Department, Health Services, Dr Sunday Goji, expressed optimism with the outcome of the meeting.
Goji said that the nutrition corners would be reactivated to enhance demonstration and sensitisation of the residents.
The Leader, Bwari Area Legislative Council, Mr Iliya Fenu, pledged legislative support to the cause to halt malnutrition in the area.

However, Fenu noted that increasing the budget was not the problem but the cash backing to execute the policy.
He therefore charged the head of health to prepare for nutrition advocacy at the ward level in collaboration with the various councillors.
“We will do our best to make sure that the budget line is increased, though the budget is not our problem but the cash backing for implementation,” he said. (NAN)
BOL/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

Coordinator advocates multisectoral approach against malnutrition in FCT

Coordinator advocates multisectoral approach against malnutrition in FCT

NAN-HG-69

Nutrition

By Mustapha Sumaila

Abuja, May 18, 2017 (NAN) The Nutrition Coordinator, Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mrs Clementina Okoro, has advocated multi sectoral approach to combat rising cases of malnutrition in the territory.

Okoro gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Abuja.

She said the high rate of malnutrition in FCT behoved government to introduce relevant policy that would encourage collaboration with various stakeholders to solve the problem.

The coordinator identified such stakeholders to include civil society groups, development partners and health-related private sectors, including experts on economy and environment.

NAN reports that based on statistics provided by FCT health and human services, the rate of stunting in the territory was at 20.6 per cent; underweight 12.6 per cent, and wasting stood at 13.8 per cent.

Okoro criticised the non-availability of food supplements known as Ready to Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) being provided by UNICEF to treat acute malnutrition in children.

She said that UNICEF had, for some time now, stopped the supply of RUTF to FCT.

The coordinator, however, appealed to FCT administration to increase the funding for nutrition, to tackle the high rate of malnutrition in Abuja.

According to her, the high cases of malnutrition are in villages, and among some poor urban residents, as well as those elites with obesity in the city.

Okoro said that her department had designed an alternative measures to produce local micronutrient supplements to help in controlling deficiencies in affected children.

According to her, she has commenced aggressive sensitisation of mothers on the right diets to take with their children.

She noted that government must work for the sustainability of food security policy in the country to tackle hunger in order to address malnutrition. (NAN) MS/FLP/MST

Edited by Folorunso Poroye/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

Nutrition: NGO supports 1,089 pregnant women in Jigawa

Nutrition: NGO supports 1,089 pregnant women in Jigawa

NAN-HG-13

Grant

By Muhammad Nasir Bashir

Dutse, March 21, 2017 (NAN) The Child Development Grant Programme (CHDP), an NGO, has supported more than 1,098 expectant mothers in Buji Local Government Area of Jigawa with N40 million nutritional needs in February.

The Information Officer in charge of the local government council, Alhaji Ali Safiyanu, made this known to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Dutse.

Safiyanu quoted CGDP’s Programme Coordinator in the area, Malam Abdullahi Muhammad, as disclosing this during a steering committee meeting on Tuesday in Buji.

He quoted the coordinator as saying that the women were being paid N3,500 before, but the NGO increased it to N4,000 due to the rise in the cost of food items.

NAN reports that the programme is supported by the British Department for International Development (DFID) to control malnutrition, maternal and infant mortality rate at the grassroots.

NAN also reports that programme is being implemented in three selected local government areas of the state; namely Buji, Gagarawa and Kirikassamma.

The registered women had been receiving the monthly stipend under the programme to improve their nutritional intake.

It provides unconditional monthly cash transfers of N4,000 to screened pregnant women, through the pregnancy period and until the child reaches the age of two.

The cash assistance is to assist the beneficiaries feed well; cater for their pregnancy and the child after birth in order to reduce the rate of maternal mortality.

The Caretaker Committee Chairman of the council, Alhaji Hashimu Ahmad, commended the NGO for the gesture, noting that it will go a long way in enhancing healthcare delivery in the area.

Ahmad also commended the NGO for extending the programme from 2018 to 2019, when it would hand it over to the governments of Jigawa and Zamfara for sustainability. (NAN)

MNB/IFY/MST

Edited by Ifeyinwa Omowole/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

Balanced diets provide nutritional needs of healthy people – Dietician

Balanced diets provide nutritional needs of healthy people – Dietician

NAN-HG-14

Nutrition

By Olabisi Akinbode

Ibadan, Feb. 22, 2017 (NAN) A registered dietician, Mr Babatunde Ajobo, says eating variety of foods with the correct amount of nutrients is what is needed to maintain good health.

Ajobo told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Ibadan that food nutrients included water, protein, fat, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals.

“Balanced diets are enough to provide for the nutritional needs of healthy people.

“Healthy people who ate variety of foods using the food pyramid, should be able to obtain all the vitamins needed to maintain good health.

“No amount of vitamins and minerals will build muscles or heal ailments, only weight lifting and exercise will do.

“Vitamins alone do not provide energy themselves; they only help to release energy with carbohydrates.

“An excess of one vitamin or one mineral can negatively affect absorption of other vitamins and minerals.

“However, if vitamins supplements are thought to be necessary, it is essential that a physician or registered dietitian be consulted,” he said.

Ajobo advised people to learn to always select and combine from the six basic classes of nutrients, to come up with the right diets.

However, he explained that supplements do not replace food and they are not medicine. (NAN)

OOA/VIV/MST

Edited Vivian Ihechu/Muhammad Suleiman Tola