Many Nigerians are dying of malnutrition – Deputy gov laments
The Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State, Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, has urged members of the Nutrition Society of Nigeria to intensify enlightenment campaigns to stem the increasing death rate in the state arising from nutritionally induced diseases.
Ewhrudjakpo made the call when a delegation of the NSN led by the state chairman, Mr Ebi Wilson, paid him a courtesy visit at the Government House, Yenagoa.
According to a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media, Mr Doubara Atasi, Ewhrudjakpo also stressed the need for all local government councils and other stakeholders to promote the importance of good nutrition.
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He said a good number of people suffer and die of malnutrition as a result of poor knowledge of what to eat to remain healthy and not because of poverty.
“The high rate of communicable and non-communicable diseases and deaths is high because of our low level of nutritional awareness. I will support the NSN to have a one-month nutrition hour radio programme to create awareness.
“We have a Herculean task before us. The government has a role, but professionals have a greater role. I believe that when you play your role as professionals, the knowledge level will expand to create more enlightenment and fewer people will die of nutritionally-induced non-communicable diseases,” Ewhrudjakpo said.
Ewhrudjakpo, who pledged to sponsor a one-month radio programme on nutrition awareness, directed the NSN to liaise with the state Ministry of Health to ensure the deployment of nutrition officers to all the local government areas.
He said, “While it is good that we have health workers in the LGAs who may have read about nutrition, I think their level of knowledge of nutrition is not as advanced as you have.
“So, we will see how we can, within available resources, work with the Ministry of Health, to deploy nutrition officers in all the LGAs.
“Nutrition should come before any other health intervention. Immunisation is good, but immunisation without good nutrition is ineffective.”
Speaking on behalf of the delegation, the State Chairman of NSN, Mr Ebi Wilson, said the visit was informed by the need to foster collaboration between the society and the Bayelsa State Government to address nutritional issues affecting communities in the state.
Referring to the recent multi-sectoral partnership agreement signed between the state government and the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund, Wilson said the organisation was committed to working with the government to ensure every Bayelsa resident has access to good nutrition.
Describing nutrition as the cornerstone of health, he underscored the expediency of implementing the Bayelsa State Policy on Food and Nutrition, as well as putting in place mechanisms for the improvement of the nutrition indicators of the state.
While calling for the release of counterpart funds for the implementation of the nutrition intervention from UNICEF, Wilson stated that the NSN framework covers community engagement and the prioritisation of nutrition within the health and education sectors.
“We thank the state government for the interest it has shown and efforts made to alleviate malnutrition in the state through collaboration with development partners.
“Recently, the multi-sectoral plan of action was signed, and we believe funds required for the implementation will be released; the matching fund of 100,000 USD for implementation of the nutrition intervention from UNICEF requires counterpart funds from the state government.
“The implementation of the Bayelsa State Policy on Food and Nutrition is quite expedient, and we request mechanisms to be put in place so that the nutrition indicators of Bayelsa State will improve drastically.
“We also seek government’s support in advocating for policies that prioritise nutrition within our health and education sectors, engagement of local communities through workshops and outreach programmes.”
“The implementation of the Bayelsa State Policy on Food and Nutrition is quite expedient, and we request mechanisms to be put in place so that the nutrition indicators of Bayelsa State will improve drastically.
“We also seek government’s support in advocating for policies that prioritise nutrition within our health and education sectors, engagement of local communities through workshops and outreach programmes,” he said.
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