Mrs Naomi Iliya, Focal Person for Routine Immunisation at the Primary Health Care Centre in Mabushi District, Abuja, says that awareness campaigns on the use of locally available food sources have led to a significant decline in infant malnutrition cases in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Iliya made this known during a field visit by journalists undergoing training on Nutrition and Food Systems Reporting and Advocacy, organised by the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) and Nigeria Health Watch on Tuesday in Abuja.
She explained that the sensitisation campaigns focused on breastfeeding, complementary feeding, and the use of local food items to educate mothers on ways to improve child nutrition and health.
According to her, the exercise was part of efforts to evaluate progress in nutrition intervention programmes aimed at reducing under-five malnutrition and promoting healthy growth.
She said mothers were now using millet, soya beans, groundnut and vegetables to prepare nutritious meals for their babies.
“Most of these women complained that the high cost of nutritious food was one of the causes of malnutrition among their children. So, we embarked on massive sensitisation to create awareness on alternative locally available food sources that should complement breastfeeding for babies above six months, while encouraging exclusive breastfeeding for 0–6 months,” she said.
“Mothers are now embracing the use of locally available foods such as millet, soya beans, groundnut and vegetables to prepare nutritious meals for their babies. The results have been encouraging, as we have not recorded any case of Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) from the data collected so far this year, compared to last year when many children fell into that category. We only have yellow, which indicates Moderate Acute Malnutrition (MAM), and we have been monitoring and assisting them with the required medication and counselling to ensure the babies recover,” she added.
She also noted that the Primary Health Centre uses Ready-To-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) and Ready-To-Use Supplementary Food (RUSF) to treat and prevent malnutrition in affected children.
Iliya explained that regular community engagements and nutrition counselling sessions had boosted exclusive breastfeeding rates and reduced incidences of malnutrition.
She appealed to the government, development partners and other stakeholders to strengthen the capacity of health workers through training and provision of nutrition supplements to support vulnerable households.
Mrs Maryam Isa-Abbas, a mother of four, said the sensitisation she received during antenatal and immunisation sessions enlightened her on the importance of exclusive breastfeeding and proper child nutrition.
“I now know ways to use alternative locally available food to complement feeding, which will prevent malnutrition and improve the health and well-being of my baby. I also share what I learn with other women,” she said.
Similarly, Mrs Serah Samuel, another mother, said the awareness campaign and improved feeding practices among mothers had reduced frequent illnesses among their children.
She said she now prepares nutritious meals using local ingredients at more affordable rates.
“Before now, I believed only packaged baby foods were nutritious. But I’ve learned to make pap mixed with soya beans and groundnut, which is healthier and cheaper,” she said.
Dr Olapeju Phorbee, Founder of the Food Agriculture Nutrition Network (FANN), stressed the need for continuous awareness and behavioural change campaigns to promote consumption of nutritious local foods.
“Good nutrition is about eating healthy and balanced diets to improve the growth and development of an individual. We have available and seasonal food across our regions that enable us to access sufficient, safe and nutritious food at affordable rates,” she said.
The nutrition expert also urged mothers to ensure they exclusively breastfeed their babies for the first six months of life and complement their feeding later with healthy balanced diets.
She appealed to the government and relevant stakeholders to prioritise issues around malnutrition and implement policies or programmes geared towards improving the country’s nutrition index.
Mr Summit Karn, a Public Health Nutritionist with UNICEF, urged stakeholders to focus more on nutrition and food systems rather than just food security.
“While food security focuses on ensuring that people have enough to eat, food nutrition ensures people eat healthy and balanced food that contributes to their health and well-being,” he said.
(NAN)