Pate reiterates FG’s commitment to eliminate malnutrition
By Folasade Akpan
The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to eliminating malnutrition in Nigeria through collaborative, community-based strategies and sustained policy action.
This assurance was given by the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Pate, during the 2025 Clinical Nutrition Conference of the West African Society of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (WASPEN), in Abuja.
Pate was represented by Dr Emmanuel Abata, Director of the Nutrition Information System.
Speaking on the theme “Bridging the Gap: Integrating Hospital, Community and Malnutrition Care in Developing Countries,” Pate described it as timely and urgent, citing the persistent burden of malnutrition across the country.
“Malnutrition remains a critical public health challenge with far-reaching impacts on the health system and economic productivity.
“Our collective responsibility is to ensure that nutrition support does not end at hospital discharge but continues seamlessly into the community,” he said.
He highlighted key federal initiatives, including the N774 programme, a multi-sectoral intervention aimed at delivering nutrition support to all 774 Local Government Areas.
The ministry, he said, was also scaling up the training of frontline healthcare workers and implementing the National Guidelines for Integrated Management of Acute Malnutrition to standardise care and improve health outcomes.
Additional efforts, he said, included distributing nutritional commodities to states and strengthening partnerships with professional bodies like WASPEN to drive research, evidence-based policymaking, and effective community outreach.
Dr Dolapo Fasawe, Mandate Secretary of the FCT Health Services and Environment Secretariat, raised concerns over the dual burden of malnutrition.
She pointed out the rising rates of both undernutrition and overnutrition, especially in urban areas like the FCT.
Represented by Dr Olugbenga Bello, Director-General of the FCTA Hospital Management Board, Fasawe noted: “Many middle-aged men have protruding stomachs, this too is malnutrition.
“Parenteral nutrition remains out of reach for most patients, and the government is willing to support local manufacturing of these products.”
She urged pharmaceutical companies to collaborate with the government to produce affordable, locally tailored nutritional solutions.
Prof. Cyril Osifo, Chairman of the Conference, highlighted the dire statistics: over 37 per cent of Nigerian children, around six million, are stunted, and two million suffer from severe acute malnutrition.
“Malnutrition and food insecurity are major threats to human development. Poverty is the biggest driver. We need education, policy reform, and improvements in food preservation and sanitation,” he said.
He also drew attention to post-discharge malnutrition, noting that many patients relapse or die due to poor nutrition after leaving the hospital.
“Sometimes patients say they’ve lost appetite, but in reality, they cannot afford food,” he said.
WASPEN President, Dr Teresa Pounds, called for mandatory nutritional screening for all hospitalised patients.
“We want a system where every admitted patient is assessed for nutritional status.
“We need parenteral nutrition for those who cannot eat, and dedicated teams including dietitians, pharmacists, nurses, and physicians to manage these cases,” she said.
Pounds added that WASPEN was working with partners to begin local production of parenteral nutrition formulas in Nigeria, with a pilot collaboration with a private firm already in progress.
She said the society’s annual conferences were aimed at building the capacity of health professionals and promoting the importance of clinical nutrition in recovery and long-term health outcomes. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Abiemwense Moru
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