By Julie Ekong
To reduce incidences of malnutrition in Lagos state, the Civil Society Scaling-Up Nutrition – Nigeria (CS-SUNN), a non – governmental organisation, has inaugurated Local Government Committee on Food and Nutrition in Orile Agege Local Council Development Area, LCDA.
It is to ensure people at the grassroots adopt proper Nutrition policy and ensure minimum diets are accepted by both adults and children.
The Executive Secretary of the organisation, Mr Sunday Okoronkwo, who made this known at the official launch of the first Lagos State Committee on Food and Nutrition Lagos-GCFN, said the citing of the Committee at the local government level was in line with the framework of the National Policy on Food and Nutrition, the structures of which exist at the national, states, local governments and in the wards.
According to him, the project which is ongoing is a pilot scheme that will be replicated in all the local government areas in the state, explained that Food and Nutrition will eradicate malnutrition in people at the grassroots.
“He noted, that the reason for the choice of local government is because nutrition is a multi- sectoral issue and ” This committee is the coming together of officers from different ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) at the local government level to contribute to the provision of optimal nutrition and the eradication of malnutrition at the grassroots level.”
“We are always here to support the state government through the state committee on food and nutrition and to make sure that coordination becomes more effective and efficient. “We are all looking for synergy across all the LCDAs and the local government areas in Lagos state,” he noted.
The Lagos State Nutrition Officer, Mrs Olubunmi Braheem said, the committee which is the first of its kind would help the state to achieve it’s target in the area of Nutrition.
Mrs Braheem who expressed dismay at the rising cases of malnutrition in the state explained that the last Multiple Cluster Indicator Survey rated Lagos low in breastfeeding, Nutrition, adding that stunting and wasting are also on the increase.
” The first thing that happens is breastfeeding but Lagos State is yet to attain that goal. In early initiation, the last survey says that in Lagos State, we are retrogressing. Initially, we were at 25%as at 2017, but the last Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey says we are 14.1% meaning we moved from 25% down to 14.1 instead of improving. Our exclusive breastfeeding is still at 57.4% we’ve just been able to move from 51.8 in 2917 to 57.4 in 2021″ – Mrs Braheem
Inaugurating the Committee, the Executive Chairman, Orile Agege Local Council Development Area, LCDA, Honourable Johnson Babatunde, Promised to support the committee for the peace and progress of the state.
“As the chairman of Orile Agege, it is my pleasure to inaugurate the Local Government Food and Nutrition Committee ” – Honourable Johnson
It is on record that 17.3 per cent of children in Lagos State are stunted, 17. 3 per cent accounts for more than five million children that are stunted in the state. Although the children will look normal going around, stunting is irreversible.
