Nutrition may hold key to saving lives of mothers, children in Nigeria

FOOD insecurity and lack of access to basic health services are the major factors causing high level of malnutrition in some parts of the country, especially among women and children, experts claimed last week.

Experts who examined nutritional challenges facing maternal, newborn and child health in the country at a one-day workshop organised by Alltech Nutrients Limited, World Initiative for Soy in Human Health (WISHH), United States for Agriculture and National Institute for Food Science and Technology, submitted that resources must be available to effectively reduce malnutrition through innovative approaches and resource mobilisation.

They also examined the possibility of soy in reducing the 60 per cent child mortality due to malnourishment and achieving the millennium development goals.

Soybean and soy products contain adequate nutrients such as protein-energy, fats, vitamins and other micro-nutrients that can combat the high cases of ill-growth indicated in stunting, wasting or under-weight.

Among the several issues raised at the workshop include the availability of soybean in Nigerian markets; how to inculcate the benefits of soy into the frequently taken Nigerian meals such as loaves of bread and the various nutritional combination soy can be made available in local meals.

ÒSoyabeans, as we all know, are grown in many parts of the world and are a primary source of vegetable oil and protein for use in food," President of the Nigerian Institute of Food Science and Technology (NIFST), Professor Isaac Adebayo Adeyemi stated.

Professor Isaac Akinyele, Head of Department, Human Nutrition, University of Ibadan and chairman of the workshop said, "once a young girl is stunted at age three, she can never give birth to a normal child, which makes this issue an inter-generational issue, a silent emergency".

In the same vein, Adeyemi said, "there is a need to incorporate alternative strategies different from conventional methods to address malnutrition.Ó

He also shed light on the pending bill that will enable Nigerian Council of Food Science and Technology to, among others, protect and uphold professional standards and competence in the practice of food science and technology to sustain the dignity accorded to the profession worldwide."

Dr. Akinloye Afolabi, Country Coordinator, Infant and Young Child Nutrition Project, affirmed that resources must be available to effectively reduce malnutrition through innovative approaches to resource mobilisation from all sectors and levels including, government, community, development partners,private sector and civil societies,

He reiterated that ownership of the programme should be encouraged through community participation, efficient communication and information system, as well as entrenching a sustainability plan from the onset.

He advocated for an efficient coordination mechanism encompassing the institutionalisation of a national coordinating mechanism, inter agency coordination and collaboration and effective partnership building.