Nutrition Remains Cornerstone for Sustainable Development, Economic Prosperity
Nutrition remains a cornerstone for sustainable development, economic prosperity, and the overall well-being of the Nigerian populace, this is the position of CS-SUNN during the media roundtable held in Yenagoa, Bayelsa. Below is the press statement issued after the event.
PRESS STATEMENT PRESENTED DURING A MEDIA ROUNDTABLE ON THE ‘INCREASED INVESTMENT IN NUTRITION TO SCALE-UP QUALITY NUTRITION SERVICES’ PROJECT HELD ON 25TH JANUARY 2024 IN BAYELSA STATE.
We extend a warm welcome to CS-SUNN’s media roundtable on the ‘Increased Investment to Scale-Up Quality Nutrition Services’ project. The relevance of improved investments in nutrition cannot be overstated, as nutrition remains a cornerstone for sustainable development, economic prosperity, and the overall well-being of the Nigerian populace.
With Nigeria, unfortunately, holding the second-highest number of stunted children worldwide, CS-SUNN’s mission gains even greater significance – the commitment to addressing malnutrition which has become a persistent public health concern in Nigeria. Stunting, in particular, is linked to adverse outcomes such as poor brain and cognitive development, diminished educational attainment, and reduced productivity in adulthood. The Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS 2018) indicates that Bayelsa State faces considerable challenges, with 25% of children under five stunted, 13.4% underweight, and 1.3% wasted. These figures underscore the urgency for concerted efforts.
To address the challenging issue of malnutrition, the Nigerian Government, in collaboration with key stakeholders, formulated the National Strategic Plan of Action for Nutrition (NSPAN). This comprehensive plan outlines costed, nutrition-specific, and nutrition-sensitive interventions with measurable targets spanning from 2014 to 2019. In Bayelsa, the NSPAN has been domesticated since 2021; presenting a multi-sectoral approach to combating malnutrition among women and children. However, this progress is impeded as the Bayelsa State Government is yet to approve this critical strategic plan. The State Food and Nutrition Policy operational in the State is also yet to be approved by the appropriate authorities.
The non-approval of the state SPAN serves as a persistent barrier, affecting the adoption of a coordinated, multi-sectoral approach by various nutrition-related Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) in promoting food and nutrition security in Bayelsa. The absence of dedicated nutrition departments in the state further deepens this challenge, resulting in a decentralization of leadership and responsibility for policies, planning, programming, advocacy, and monitoring related to nutrition across various sectors. Notably, the 2022 budget for Bayelsa State lacks explicit budget line items for specific nutrition programs. This leads to little or no budgetary allocations, releases, and utilization for nutrition initiatives.
Additionally, the supportive environment for maternity protection and entitlements, crucial for fostering and enhancing breastfeeding practices, faces obstacle. With an abysmally low exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) rate of 5% (NDHS 2018) in Bayelsa, CS-SUNN emphasizes the imperative to further enhance these rates, ensuring that all infants in Bayelsa can lead healthier and more productive lives. Achieving this goal necessitates the implementation of maternity entitlements, such as a six-month paid maternity leave, and the establishment of workplace creches. These measures play an invaluable role in promoting exclusive breastfeeding during the first six months of life and continued breastfeeding alongside appropriate complementary feeding until two years of age.
In the face of these challenges, CS-SUNN is implementing the ‘Increased Investment to Scale-Up Quality Nutrition Services’ project in Bayelsa State. In collaboration with UNICEF, this inaugural media roundtable hosted by the Bayelsa State Chapter of CS-SUNN spotlights the critical need for increased investments, timely releases and effective utilization of allocated funds for nutrition programming in Bayelsa. The project further seeks to advocate for the extension of paid maternity leave from three to six months.
The alliance therefore calls on the Bayelsa state Government to:
i. Approve the Bayelsa State Policy for Food and Nutrition.
ii. Approve and fund the Bayelsa Multisectoral Plan of Action for Nutrition
iii. Allocate and release promptly adequate funds for the implementation of nutrition interventions designed to reduce malnutrition in the state
iv. Extend maternity leave for nursing mothers in Bayelsa from the current three to six months with pay
v. Establish Nutrition Departments in all line Ministries, Department and Agencies.
vi. Scale-up staple food fortification initiatives for availability of affordable nutritious foods.
CS-SUNN urges the media to intensify reporting on nutrition issues, attracting policymakers and concerned stakeholders to take decisive steps towards curbing malnutrition in Bayelsa. We commit to equipping the press with pertinent information for thorough and factual reporting on nutrition.
The alliance calls on organizations in Bayelsa to unite with CS-SUNN in advocating for the implementation of maternal and child nutrition interventions. We seek collective commitment to consistently promote comprehensive community health education initiatives focused on nutrition.
CS-SUNN, a non-governmental, non-profit-making coalition, is dedicated to transforming Nigeria into a country where every citizen has secured food and nutrition. We pursue this vision through engagement, mobilization of government and non-state actors, advocacy for policy implementation, awareness raising, evidence generation, capacity building, and community stimulation to scale up nutrition in Nigeria, with a particular focus on maternal and child nutrition.
Signed
SC- CS-SUNN
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