Anaemia: How Simple Supplement Could Save Nigeria’s Mothers, Children

Nigeria is facing a deepening nutrition situation that is threatening the wellness of women and children, with experts informing that urgent interventions are needed to reverse disturbing trends successful anemia and malnutrition.

According to the 2023-24 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey, 40 per cent of children nether 5 are stunted, up from 37 per cent successful 2018, portion 55 per cent of women of reproductive property are anemic.

At a media roundtable successful Abuja, themed: “Headlines That Save Lives: Media Power Against Anemia and Malnutrition,” Civil Society Scaling-Up Nutrition successful Nigeria (CS-SUNN) and partners highlighted Multiple Micronutrient Supplements (MMS) arsenic a cost-effective involution to code maternal nutrition.

MMS provides 15 indispensable vitamins and minerals, and grounds shows that regular intake during gestation prevents anemia, reduces debased commencement weight, and improves commencement outcomes.

Although Iron and Folic Acid (IFA) supplementation has been modular for decades, experts said MMS offers broader extortion for large women and their children. In 2021, the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare updated its nationalist guidelines to urge MMS during pregnancy, aligning with World Health Organisation guidance. MMS has since been added to Nigeria’s Essential Medicines List, signaling advancement successful argumentation adoption.

The Executive Secretary of CS-SUNN, Sunday Okoronkwo, said “Maternal malnutrition increases vulnerability to illness, reinforces intergenerational poverty, and reduces productivity successful adulthood.”

CS-SUNN, successful collaboration with UNICEF, FHI 360, Nutrition International, Results for Development, and different partners, has been instrumental successful pushing for the scale-up of MMS. The confederation has supported argumentation reviews, advocated for integration into antenatal care, and built the capableness of civilian nine organisations to way MMS organisation and uptake among large women.

“This concern attack has been cardinal to advancing maternal nutrition successful Nigeria,” Okoronkwo noted.

A captious portion of the strategy lies successful sustainable financing. The Child Nutrition Fund (CNF), a pooled mechanics managed by UNICEF, enables governments to treble their investments successful nutrition commodities, including MMS. Advocates are urging national and authorities governments to leverage the CNF to guarantee a dependable proviso of supplements nationwide.

Stakeholders recommended that MMS should beryllium integrated into each antenatal attraction protocols, grooming healthcare workers to present the involution effectively, and strengthening proviso chains to forestall stockouts successful some agrarian and municipality facilities.

The roundtable besides emphasised the relation of journalists successful sustaining nationalist and governmental attraction connected anemia and malnutrition. “The media has the powerfulness to power policy, signifier opinion, and clasp leaders accountable. The headlines we make contiguous should thrust life-saving actions tomorrow,” Okoronkwo said.

With anemia affecting much than fractional of Nigerian women of reproductive age, experts hold that the stakes are high. Stakeholders importune that bold action, backed by governmental volition and accordant investment, is needed to interruption the rhythm of malnutrition and unafraid healthier futures for mothers and children.

“Nigeria has the evidence, the tools, and the partnerships. What is needed present is decisive implementation,” Okoronkwo added.