ENUGU STATE RECORDS 15% STUNTED GROWTH IN CHILDREN, POOR EXCLUSIVE BREASTFEEDING—UNICEF
REPORTER: EMEFIENA OKONKWO
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has called for sustained efforts towards improving the nutrition of mothers and children in Enugu State.
The Chief of Field Office, UNICEF, Enugu, Mrs. Juliet Chiluwe made the call in Enugu during the First Coordination and Partnership meeting with State Executives, Development Partners and Stakeholders to discuss investment in nutrition.
Mrs. Chiluwe noted that the theme for the meeting which is,”Prioritizing Investment in Maternal, Infant and Young Child and Adolescent Nutrition and the PARSNIP Project: key to Sustainable Development in Enugu State” was timely.
She noted that the theme for the meeting was in line with the Sustainable Development Goals, which aims to end all forms of malnutrition by 2030.
According to the Chief of UNICEF, Enugu Field Office, available data show that Enugu State has stunting rate of 15% approximately, 147,816 children shorter than expected height for their age with associated poor cognitive functions, while only 11% of children aged zero to six months were exclusively breastfed.
In an overview of efforts being made to eradicate malnutrition in Enugu State, the State Governor represented by the Deputy Governor, Mrs. Cecilia Ezeilo, noted that the state government had approved strategic fund for multinutrients powder, especially Vitamin A; timely release of counterpart Fund and boosting of food production and its value chain for the wellbeing of women and children.
Mrs. Ezeilo commended UNICEF for its supports to Enugu State towards the wellbeing of women and children, especially in the areas of Sanitation, Health, Education and upscaling their nutritional food intake as well as exclusive breastfeeding.
In a keynote address, the Enugu State Commissioner for Budget and Planning, Dr. David Ugwunta, explained that the high level meeting was to identify opportunities and challenges in tackling malnutrition in children, stating that tackling malnutrition required multi-sectoral approach.
The State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Ikechukwu Obi; the Executive Secretary, Enugu State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Dr. George Ugwu; and the Executive Secretary, Enugu State Agency for Universal Health Coverage, Dr. Edith Okolo, in separate submissions enumerated the successes and the challeges of their various agencies in tackling malnutrition in children and women.
For Dr. George Ugwu of the Enugu State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, the challenge facing exclusive breastfeeding in Enugu State was nursing mothers giving water to their infants.
He stated that sustained sensitization would help the nursing mothers conform to the basic guideline for exclusive breastfeedig, which is zero water for the infants as breastmilk contains all the nutrients and water the baby needs.
Dr. Ugwu announced that more nurses and midwives would be employed by the Enugu State government for the healthcare of women and children.
The high level meeting was well attended by the accademia, Ministries, Departments and Agencies, traditional rulers and Civil Society Organizations, including the Head, Micro-nutrient Deficiency Control, Department of Family Health, Federal Ministry of Health, Chief John Uruakpa and the Chairman, Traditional Rulers Council of Enugu State, Igwe Lawrence Agubuzu.
EDITED BY CHUKWUBUIKE MADU
