The World Health Organization (WHO) in a strategic move to combat the deteriorating nutritional status of children across the federation has pledged deepened collaboration with the National Assembly to strengthen food security and legislative oversight.
High-Level Collaborative Talks
This week, Dr. Pavel Ursu, the WHO Representative to Nigeria, met with the House Committee on Nutrition and Food Security. The meeting, chaired by Hon. Chike John Okafor, focused on accelerating Nigeria’s efforts to reduce malnutrition through evidence-based policies and more robust health systems.
According to WHO, Every child deserves the chance to grow, learn, and thrive, Nigeria is taking important steps to make good nutrition a reality for more families, but the scale of the challenge requires urgent, coordinated action.
Alarming Trends in Child Health
The urgency of the meeting is underscored by the recently released 2024 National Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS), which reveals that nutrition indicators have stagnated or worsened since 2018.
According to the report, the nation faces a critical burden of undernutrition stunting (impaired growth and development) has climbed from 37% to 40%, underweight prevalence has surged from 22% to 27%, child wasting (acute malnutrition) rose from 7% to 8%, and an exclusive breastfeeding rates remain stalled at a low 29%.
A Roadmap for Food Security
To reverse these trends, the WHO is currently providing technical guidance to the Federal Government for the development of the new National Policy on Food and Nutrition. This policy is expected to serve as the primary framework for guiding future investments and improving health outcomes nationwide.
The partnership aims to strengthen data utilization, build institutional capacity, and ensure that nutrition programs are backed by rigorous scientific evidence. These initiatives are supported by international donors committed to advancing child health in Africa’s most populous nation.
Legislative Commitment
Hon. Chike John Okafor reaffirmed the House Committee’s commitment to using legislative tools to bridge the gap in food security. By prioritizing nutrition in the national budget and ensuring policy implementation, the committee aims to provide the necessary acceleration to protect millions of vulnerable Nigerian children.
