“Enough Talk, It’s Time for Action”-VP Shettima Sounds Alarm on Malnutrition
By Usman A Harande
Vice President Kashim Shettima has urged stakeholders to move beyond discussions and take decisive action to combat malnutrition in Nigeria. Speaking at a virtual meeting of the National Council on Nutrition (NCN), Shettima emphasized that malnutrition poses a significant threat to national security and economic productivity.
Shettima advocated for a multisectoral response, bringing together Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), development partners, and the private sector to address malnutrition. He acknowledged the importance of data-driven decision-making, stressing that policies and programs must be guided by evidence-based assessments.
The Vice President highlighted the Nutrition 774 Initiative, a grassroots-driven program aimed at institutionalizing nutrition at the local government level. This initiative is part of the government’s efforts to address malnutrition, which affects cognitive development, weakens the workforce, and hinders national growth.
Key Resolutions
The National Council on Nutrition meeting resulted in several key resolutions, including:
- Establishment of Nutrition Departments: The Federal Ministry of Health & Social Welfare, Federal Ministry of Agriculture & Food Security, and other key ministries will establish nutrition departments.
- Activation of the National Nutrition Dashboard: The dashboard will be kept online, with devices established at key government ministries and development partners’ offices.
- Accelerating Nutrition Results in Nigeria (ANRiN) project: The Federal Ministry of Health & Social Welfare will ensure ANRiN 2.0 is fully integrated with the N774 Initiative.
A Call to Action
VP Shettima’s call to action emphasizes the need for collective responsibility in addressing malnutrition. With Nigeria’s demographic size making it a focal point of global concern, the government’s efforts must be translated into domestic accountability. The world is watching, but more importantly, the Nigerian people are counting on their leaders to take decisive action.
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