By Adeyinka Adeniran
Stakeholders in the health sector from the state and local governments in Oyo state in collaboration with the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) on Wednesday began a two days brainstorming session on how to prevent malnutrition in infants, particularly during the first 1,000 days of life.
The meeting which is taking place at the Kakanfo Inn, Ring Road Ibadan and attended by health care workers through the Primary Health Care (PHC) Board, government officials, policy makers, donor agencies, international partners among others is also deliberating on the grant for the initiative provided by the United State through UNICEF.
Speaking at the event, the state Commissioner for Health, Dr Oluwaserimi Ajetunmobi lamented that the state has recorded a sharp rise in acute malnutrition even as it made progress in reducing chronic stunting among children.
Speaking at the UNICEF-supported nutrition event, Ajetunmobi disclosed that the prevalence of stunting, measured as low height for age, declined from 34.7 percent before 2023 to 23.4 percent following intensified nutrition interventions in the state.
At the same time, however, severe acute malnutrition, or wasting, climbed from 1.8 percent to 14.4 percent, a trend she described as a major concern for child health and development.
The commissioner explained that while efforts to tackle chronic malnutrition have yielded results, the increase in wasting signals gaps in infant and young child feeding practices at the household level.
She said many mothers were not adhering to recommended nutrition practices, and the state would now focus on educating them, particularly on early initiation of breastfeeding and exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life.
Ajetunmobi stressed that every newborn, whether delivered by cesarean section or vaginally, should be put to the breast immediately after birth to benefit from nutrients that aid brain development,noting that the state is targeting the first 1,000 days of life, from conception to a child’s second birthday, as the critical window for preventing malnutrition.
To address dietary gaps after six months, she noted that Oyo State will begin distributing Small Quantity Lipid-based Nutrient supplements, known as SQLNS, to children aged six months to two years. The supplement, procured in collaboration with UNICEF and funded by a U.S. government grant, is designed to boost nutrition when home-prepared foods lose key nutrients during processing.
Ajetunmobi emphasized that the supplement is not for sale and must not be consumed by adults or older children, warning that an anti-diversion committee comprising officials from NAFDAC, the National Orientation Agency, Amotekun, the police and the Ministry of Justice has been set up to prevent misuse.
She urged residents to report any sale of the product to the Primary Health Care Board or the state Ministry of Health.
She said, “Ready-to-use therapeutic food would also be provided for children already suffering from acute malnutrition, while multiple micronutrient supplements have been procured for pregnant women to prevent anemia and intrauterine growth retardation.
“Oyo contributed $150,000 to the earlier SQLNS program under the Child Nutrition Fund, matched equally by UNICEF. The state has also committed over N230 million toward maternal nutrition, with UNICEF matching the amount for procurement.
“Oyo is among seven states selected for the one-year U.S. grant, in recognition of the state’s previous performance in health delivery.
“Twenty of the state’s 33 local government areas, including Afijio, Ibadan North, Ibadan East, Ogbomoso North, Ogbomoso South, Oyo West and Ibarapa, among others will benefit from the intervention. The state has recruited 40 nutrition specialists to oversee implementation at the local level.”
Also speaking, UNICEF Nutrition Manager, Sumit Karn, who is based in Abuja, said the organization was prioritizing the first 1,000 days because it represents the best opportunity to improve a child’s growth, brain development and learning outcomes.
He noted that the funding would scale up high-impact, nutrition-specific interventions such as breastfeeding promotion, vitamin supplementation and food fortification.
In his remarks, Executive Secretary, Oyo State Primary Healthcare Board, Dr Muyideen Olatunji warned that children who experience stunting may suffer delayed mental development even if they later recover physically, reinforcing the need for early prevention.
He said the initiative would ultimately benefit not only children under five and nursing mothers but also families and the country at large by raising cognitive potential and productivity.
Also speaking, Chairman, Egbeda local government, who doubles as the Chairman of the LGAs Chairmen, Sikiru Sanda pledged to ensure the supplements reach intended beneficiaries without diversion, describing their role as one of delivery and oversight.
