The Federal Government of Nigeria has set up a ministerial task force to develop an action plan to tackle malnutrition among children.
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Muhammad Pate, disclosed this in a statement issued on Thursday, June 6.
According to him, the task force will develop an action plan that will focus on resource mobilization and solutions to malnutrition. It will also take into account the substantial burden on young girls and women.
Pate said to reduce malnutrition, adequate coordination is crucial, along with a strong bias for action for the country.
“We will monitor progress and ensure accountability in deploying urgent interventions, including the distribution of micro-nutrient powders, therapeutic foods, and other nutritional supplements,” he said.
The minister reiterated that the country is struggling to deal with its malnutrition crisis as it is among those with the highest burden of globally.
According to him, this crisis is concentrated mostly in the Northwest and Northeast, adding that no region is malnutrition-free.
“The underlying reasons for this situation are multifaceted, including the nature of governance over several years, population dynamics with high dependency in the context of mass poverty in parts of the north, coupled with insecurity in certain areas ”although it is improving the impact of climate change on agricultural productivity and food systems, feeding practices, and the societal economic disempowerment of girls and women,” he said.
