Posted: 08/Nov/2016
Nigeria loses 2300 under five year old and 145 women of child bearing age daily primarily due to malnutrition, the Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, has said.
The minister, represented by Thompson Kobata Chimay, Assistant Director, Federal Ministry of Health, made this known yesterday during Katsina State domestication meeting for Infant and Young Child Feeding Social and Behavioural Communication Strategy (2016 – 2020) in Katsina.
“This makes the country the second largest contributor to under five year old and maternal mortality rate in the world,” he stated.
Adewole said: “Every second, three women die and in a year, about 52,925 women die due to preventable maternal causes; one in every 15 newborn dies before one month, and two in every 10 will not reach their first birthday.”
He equally disclosed that the Nutrition Indices for Children in Nigeria (1990 – 2013) which showed that stunting rate was about 41 per cent and 18 per cent wasting rate was responsible for the emergency feeding programme otherwise known as Community Management of Acute Malnutrition (CMAM) sites in 12 northern states.
The minister, who pointed out that the last National Nutrition and Health Survey showed that the nutrition situation in the country had improved, assured the federal government’s determination to sustain all interventions.
By: Andy Asemota
Leadership News