Nigeria has recorded no progress in the fight against anaemia, adult overweight and diabetics, the Global Nutrition Report 2018 has revealed.
The report however revealed that under-5 child stunting, exclusive breast feeding and under-5 child wasting, are experiencing some progress.
” The global nutrition report disseminated today is a picture of how the whole world sees Nigeria. Globally.” Project Manager of Civil Society Scaling up Nutrition in Nigeria (CS-SUNN) Mr. Sunday Okoronkwo said.
He said this while disseminating the Global Nutrition Report 2018 fact sheet on Wednesday in Abuja during a one-day meeting with key stakeholders to proffer solutions to gap identified in the report.
The report shows that, Nigeria isn’t doing well when it comes to some of the indicators that global nutrition reports are measured on.
He explained that “anaemia among women reproductive age, is rather becoming worrisome. Likewise, for adult female obesity, male obesity that is also on the increase. No form of progress made so far as regard diabetes, both male and female gender.”
Okoronkwo who lamented the lack of harmonized available data, revealed that the global nutrition report had to rely on the data reports of 2012 and 2015, as current data were unavailable.
“Looking at the report, global nutrition report had to rely on data reports of 2012, 2015; they do not have the current data. The reason is because we don’t have a harmonized data that can be sourced or accessed directly.” He said
He advised that timely data must be made available, adding that all Government sectors related to fighting malnutrition should work together to bring out quality data.
He further blamed the report outcome on poor domestic funding for the fight against malnutrition in Nigeria.
“Domestic funding is core, more money has to be put for nutrition if we are really serious about fighting malnutrition
“In Nigeria as at today, most of the money spent in fighting malnutrition comes from partners. Government allocates money in some instances but they hardly release this money. When you compare the monies allocated to nutrition to the burden of malnutrition in the country, you find out that the money is inadequate
“In the Ministry of Health for example, the 2018 budget for nutrition to the time of this report have not received any form of release. These are some major setbacks for us.” He lamented.
He called for synergy among Federal Government sectors, urging that the national multi-sectorial plan of action should be finalized.
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