Story Written By Bello Wakili and Edited by Godwin Duru
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare of Nigeria, Muhammad Ali Pate, has emphasized the critical role of nutrition in Nigeria’s human capital development, following discussions on flooding and food systems.
He made this known to State House Correspondents after the National Economic Council meeting held at the state House, Abuja.
The Minister highlighted the Federal Government’s efforts to tackle the challenge of malnutrition, alongside the need for state governments to complement these efforts.
Key decisions were made to establish a food and nutrition security taskforce, a multi-sectoral governance coordination platform, which is already operational at the federal level.
States are expected to mirror this platform to ensure that acute malnutrition is addressed across the country.
Additionally, both federal and state governments will allocate resources in their 2025 budgets to support nutrition programs.
The interventions will take a multi-sectoral approach, focusing on ensuring that children are healthy and have the cognitive development needed to drive the nation’s future prosperity.
Development partners, operating at both federal and state levels, will coordinate and mobilize resources to complement government efforts.
This includes grand financing through the Children’s Fund to help address nutrition challenges.
In a significant step, 1.3 million doses of multiple micronutrient supplements have already been distributed, providing six months of support to pregnant women.
This initiative focuses on the first one thousand days of life, a critical period for brain development.
These efforts are in collaboration with state governments to address procurement challenges for vital commodities such as ready-to-use therapeutic foods.
Training programs for healthcare professionals have also been conducted as part of the collaboration between federal and state governments.
Mr. Bill Gates, during a recent visit to Nigeria, praised the government’s efforts to strengthen the economy and improve health outcomes, particularly in maternal and child health, immunization, and agriculture.
He reaffirmed the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation’s commitment to partnering with both federal and state governments.
Moreover, the National Economic Council (NEC) has resolved to eradicate the wild polio virus, with a task force established under the leadership of the Governor of Gombe State.
This committee, comprising several governors and representatives from key health organizations, will monitor polio eradication efforts and primary healthcare system revival, reporting monthly to the NEC.
With these coordinated efforts, the federal and state governments, along with international partners, are poised to improve Nigeria’s health systems, tackle malnutrition, and safeguard the future of the nation’s children.
Bello Wakili
