From Ifeoma Ejiofor
In a landmark moment of bipartisan, national and sub-national cooperation, the Athena Centre for Policy and Leadership, in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health, has brought critical focus to the escalating issue of malnutrition in Northern Nigeria.
The Governors of Katsina, Kebbi, Niger, and Zamfara states have pledged to partner with the Federal Government and development partners to combat the rising scourge of malnutrition. The pledge was made at a policy dialogue organised by the Athena Centre at the Transcorp Hilton Abuja on Thursday, June 27, 2024
In his opening remarks, Osita Chidoka, the founder and Chancellor of the Athena Centre, called on stakeholders to unite to save the lives of young Nigerians facing acute malnutrition. He emphasised the urgent need for collaborative efforts to address this pressing issue.
The Minister of Health and Coordinating Minister of Social Services and co-host, Prof Muhammad Ali Pate, announced various interventions by the Federal Government, including establishing several treatment sites equipped with locally sourced, ready-to-use therapeutic foods for acute malnutrition cases in the northeast. The Minister highlighted the gaps in the northwest and discussed mobilising support to fill these gaps, including sourcing millions of doses of micronutrient supplements for distribution across the states.
The Minister of Agriculture, Senator Abubakar Kyari, represented by the Director of Nutrition, outlined plans for long-term food production and fortification, emphasising sustainable agricultural practices.
Governor Dauda Lawal of Zamfara called for a renewed focus on the North West and North Central regions, urging development partners to avoid regional biases with a sustained focus on the North East.
Governor Umar Dikko Radda of Katsina emphasised the need for immediate action, pledging counterpart funding for interventions in his State.
Governor Umar Mohammed Bago of Niger called for a focus on food production as a long-term solution, offering Niger’s vast land and material resources and commitment to lead this effort.
Kebbi State Governor Nasir Idris, represented by Deputy Governor Umar Abubakar Tafida, reiterated the state’s immediate readiness to partner with stakeholders to assist malnourished citizens.
Dr Simba Tirima, Country Director of Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), in a background presentation, provided alarming data, noting that approximately 2.6 million children in Nigeria suffer from severe acute malnutrition, with another 9 million moderately malnourished.
Ritgak Tilley-Gyado, the World Bank Lead for Accelerating Nutrition Results in Nigeria, proposed actions to improve governance and coordination, create social protection programs, and deploy cross-sectoral nutrition innovations for health and healthy diets.
In conclusion, the Chancellor of Athena Centre, Osita Chidoka, expressed gratitude to all participants and announced that the next step would be developing a working paper to aid in creating a coherent national policy and identifying sustainable funding mechanisms. This working paper will address the immediate medical issues of malnutrition and the long-term need for national food security through increased food production and fortification. The conclusions of this dialogue will be forwarded to the Vice President, Sen Kashim Shettima, as the Chairman of the National Council on Nutrition.
The Athena Centre is proud to lead this crucial initiative on malnutrition, demonstrating our role as a forward-thinking policy centre dedicated to tackling Nigeria’s most pressing challenges.