The West African Society of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (WASPEN) has raised fresh concerns over the growing burden of hospital malnutrition in Nigeria, describing the condition as a “silent epidemic” that continues to undermine patient recovery, increase healthcare costs, and contribute to preventable deaths across the country.
Speaking during a virtual press conference to announce the 5th Annual WASPEN Clinical Nutrition Conference, Founder and President of the organisation, Dr. Teresa Isichei Pounds, said malnutrition remains one of the most under-recognised threats to healthcare delivery despite its widespread impact on patients in hospitals.
According to her, available data indicate that between 30 and 45 per cent of patients admitted into tertiary healthcare facilities in Nigeria are already malnourished on admission, while the prevalence rises to as high as 71 per cent among elderly patients in some hospital wards.
Dr. Pounds noted that the situation is worsened by inadequate nutrition screening systems and the absence of multidisciplinary nutrition support teams in many healthcare institutions.
She cited reports showing that more than 800 children suffering from severe malnutrition died in healthcare facilities in Katsina State in 2024 alone, stressing that the challenge requires urgent intervention from policymakers, healthcare professionals, and institutions.
“Malnutrition in hospitalized patients is real. It exists, but remains largely hidden. We must identify patients early through nutrition screening and assessment so that intervention can begin promptly. No single healthcare professional can manage these patients alone; it requires a multidisciplinary approach involving physicians, pharmacists, nurses, dietitians, and social workers,” she said.
The WASPEN President announced that the organisation’s 5th Annual Clinical Nutrition Conference will hold this month of June 2026, at the Federal Medical Centre, Asaba, Delta State, under the theme: “Sustainable Clinical Nutrition Services: Ensuring Access, Safety and Collaboration.”
She explained that the conference would focus on strengthening nutrition care systems, improving patient safety, promoting early identification of malnutrition, and enhancing collaboration among healthcare professionals.
Dr. Pounds said special attention would be devoted to neonatal and paediatric nutrition, noting that newborns and children remain among the most vulnerable groups affected by poor nutrition management within healthcare facilities.
She disclosed that the conference would attract more than 300 participants, including healthcare professionals, researchers, policymakers, and international experts from across Nigeria and beyond.
Highlighting WASPEN’s achievements since its establishment in 2019, Dr. Pounds said the organisation has successfully hosted four annual clinical nutrition conferences and facilitated the establishment of Nutrition Support Steering Committees in major healthcare institutions, including Lagos University Teaching Hospital, National Hospital Abuja, Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Army Command and NAOWA Hospital Abuja, and Niger Delta University Teaching Hospital.
According to her, the committees have contributed significantly to improving nutrition screening, early intervention, and multidisciplinary patient care.
Also speaking at the briefing, Chairman of the 2026 Conference, Pharm. Paul Ebeli, stressed that malnutrition continues to negatively affect patient outcomes by prolonging hospital stays, increasing complications, and placing additional financial burdens on families and healthcare institutions.
He said clinical nutrition should no longer be treated as a secondary healthcare service but as an essential component of patient management.
“Many of these poor outcomes are preventable through timely nutrition screening, early intervention, and coordinated multidisciplinary care. Clinical nutrition is not an optional support service; it is a critical component of quality healthcare delivery,” Ebeli stated.
He noted that the conference would serve as a platform for clinicians, researchers, policymakers, and international experts to develop practical strategies for building sustainable nutrition systems across Nigeria and West Africa.
Ebeli added that participants would explore ways of strengthening multidisciplinary nutrition support teams, promoting standardised nutrition assessment practices, expanding access to safe nutrition therapy, and advancing policy discussions on integrating nutrition into healthcare systems.
The conference chairman commended the Federal Medical Centre, Asaba, Delta State Government, Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, and international partners for supporting the initiative.
Both speakers urged government agencies, healthcare institutions, development partners, and the media to support efforts aimed at tackling hospital malnutrition and strengthening nutrition care across the region.
They maintained that improved nutrition screening, stronger institutional support, and sustained collaboration among stakeholders remain critical to reducing preventable deaths and improving patient outcomes in Nigeria and across West Africa.
Reporting by Niran Odufayo