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PUBLIC PRESENTATION OF THE NATIONAL STRATEGIC PLAN OF ACTION FOR NUTRITION

ACTION POINTS FROM POLICY DIALOGUE ON INVESTMENT IN MATERNAL NUTRITION AND INFANT AND YOUNG CHILD FEEDING (IYCF) – Critical Bridges For Sustainable Development, BY CIVIL SOCIETY –SCALING UP NUTRITION IN NIGERIA (CS-SUNN)/ MPTF ON 8TH SEPTEMBER, 2015. AT THE BOLTON WHITE HOTEL, ABUJA.

Civil Society Scaling-up Nutrition in Nigeria (CS-SUNN) during the Policy Dialogue on investment on Maternal nutrition and IYCF held at Bolton White Hotel, Abuja on 8th September, 2015. A total of 129 Persons from Government MDAs, Civil Society Organizations and Development Partners participated in the dialogue. The session featured  The Permanent Secretary of Federal Ministry of Health, FMARD, Presidents of Nutrition Society of Nigeria, Association of Public Health Physicians of Nigeria, and other Professional Organizations, UNICEF, USAID, DFID, MI, Partnership for Advocacy in Child and Family Health (PACFaH), HKI, GAIN,   etc.  The highlight of the activity was the Public presentation of the NSPAN.

   Objectives:

  1. To create awareness among key stakeholders on the burden of malnutrition in Nigeria.
  2. To familiarize key stakeholders on the relevant government policies and plans that address malnutrition and related issues, and their expected roles and responsibilities
  3. To identify opportunities as well as potential barriers and challenges to the implementation of these policies and plans especially at sub-national levels and recommend practical steps towards resolving them
  4. To reach a consensus on how to respond to the nutritional needs of women and children, agree on the way forward and next steps.

During the sessions the following observations were made:

  • 2 out of every 3 Nigerian children are not being fed adequately
  • 1 in 2 children’s death in Nigeria is due to malnutrition
  • Optimal nutrition is paramount at every stage of human life and this can be achieved by commitment, value principles not only by the Government but the Nigerian population.
  • Agric sector now has a strategic plan outlining the nutrition component.
  • The NFNP 2014 has been reviewed but has not been finalized
  • The media plays a critical role in the publicity and sensitization on nutrition issues
  • Malnutrition is more of a problem in the north, especially the north western part of Nigeria
  • The government should make nutrition mandatory in schools.

Action Points and Way Forward:-

  1. APHPN and other Partners agreed to sponsor a legislation that will support approval of maternity leave extension to six months at the Federal & State levels
  2. Donors pledged support to continue to support Nigeria’s efforts to scale-up nutrition
  3. All stakeholders agreed that Nutrition should be given its prime place by Government – as unveiled by the PS FMOH
  4. Increase packages of Midwives Training to include Nutrition
  5. Nutrition education should be included in churches, mosques and other social institutions.
  6. Nutrition programming should be made more inclusive
  7. Promote nutrition sensitive programs in Agriculture and other sectors to compliment other health sector driven initiative
  8. Nutrition advocacy should be a buy-in initiative in every government and private sector establishments.
  9. Ten working days paternity leave should
  10. Participants are advocating that the reviewed NFNP 2014 should be finalized urgently, endorsed and disseminated
  11. Promote BCC that will drive change in the value system of Nigerians
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