From Uche Nnorom, Makurdi
United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has decried the high rate of malnutrition in Benue, where over 336,043 children under five years are stunted.
This rate, according to National Demographic and Health Survey, NDHS 2023/24 report represents 26 percent.
The Officer in Charge of UNICEF Field Office Enugu, Dr. Shamina Sharmin said this during the Policy Dialogue with Benue State Executive and Legislative Councils on Investment in Nutrition held in Makurdi.
Dr. Sharmin decried that the poor state of nutrition for children can be attributed largely to poor maternal, infant and young child feeding practices during the first 1,000 days.
She noted that while only 17 percent of Benue children receive the minimum acceptable diet, 43 percent others of 0 to 5 months are denied the benefits of exclusive breastfeeding.
Sharmin said the theme of the event: “Harnessing optimal Development Potentials of Benue State Children and Adolescents through Investment in Maternal, Infant, Young Child, and Adolescent Nutrition” Key to Sustainable Development”, was apt, as it is in line with the global development agenda, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).
This, she said clearly states that by “2030, end all forms of malnutrition, including achieving, by 2025, the internationally agreed targets on stunting and wasting in children under 5 years of age, and address the nutritional needs of adolescent girls, pregnant and lactating women and older persons.
She therefore, called on the Benue State Government to increase its budgetary allocations for nutrition to end all forms of malnutrition especially among children in the state.
Sharwin while commending Benue Government for it’s gallant steps in the approval and public launch of the Benue State policy on Food and Nutrition and the Star Multi sectoral Strategic Plan for for nutrition, said a dedicated and and sustained investment in nutrition would ensure full implementation of the policy.
The UNICEF scribe also urged Governor Hyacinth Alia to invest in nutrition through the MatchFunding mechanism for procurement of commodities, strengthen multi-sectoral collaboration and ensure extension of six months paid maternity leave to boost exclusive breastfeeding, a cornerstone of optimal child nutrition and development.
Similarly, speaking on “Child-Friendly Budgeting: Addressing Child Nutrition in Benue,” UNICEF Nutrition Specialist, Ngozi Onuora, stated that over 1 million children in Benue State are hungry out of which more than
800 representing 62 percent are anaemic, in addition to the 49 percent of women who suffer anaemia.
She harped on the need to scale up high impact intervention such as a Multisectoral approach to food and nutrition, development of behavioural change communication to enlighten health practitioners as well as double investment in that regard.
Onuora equally called for the full implementation of the state policy on food and nutrition as well as integration of the state strategic plan and to ensure budget allocation and timely release of money in the state and local government areas for nutrition interventions.
On his part, Benue State Governor, Rev Fr Hyacinth Alia, noted that the development of any state or nation depends on health of its people especially that of the children, noting that investing in health and nutrition of children is the most powerful ways to break the vicious circle of poverty.
Governor Alia who was represented by his deputy, Barr Sam Ode, said the figures from Benue was a red flag that demands immediate response, even as he insisted that the rate of malnutrition among Benue children and adolescents is still unacceptably high.
He however, noted that Benue state has taken measures to ensure that no child is left behind due to malnutrition as it has prioritized nutrition, not as a luxury but as an essential right of the children and adolescents in the state.
“Under nutrition caused by poverty and food insecurity is an emergency for us as a state. All hands must be on deck to reverse this negative trend”, the governor said.
