The Federal Government is to prioritise the creation of Nutrition Departments in designated federal ministries.
Vice President Kashim Shettima said this on Tuesday during an interaction with members of the Nutrition Core Working Committee who were at the Presidential Villa to brief him on the critical challenges and potential solutions for scaling up nutrition in Nigeria.
Speaking after a presentation by the Committee, the Vice President said measures will be adopted to frontally address some of the issues raised by the committee, particularly the establishment of nutrition departments in designated federal ministries; prioritising advocacy campaigns on nutrition and funding of nutrition and related activities.
He said the federal ministries of Water Resources and Sanitation; Science and Technology; Budget and Economic Planning; Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation; Information and National Orientation; Education and Women Affairs, will be encouraged to expedite action in the creation of nutrition departments in their domains.
Shettima assured the Committee that like he has done with other interventions supervised by his office, nutrition would be given priority attention, including the construction of a dashboard in his office to monitor and track the activities of stakeholders in the space.
On funding and advocacy for nutrition interventions, the Vice President noted that “financing is key in addressing nutrition and related issues hence I urge this committee to aim higher and set bigger targets and all stakeholders must be collectively engaged and involved in the advocacy campaign on nutrition in Nigeria.
Speaking on the UNICEF matching fund programme for scaling up nutrition activities in the States, the Vice President urged State Governents to key into the initiative, noting that improvement in the commitment shown by sub-nationals will be required to attract improved private sector support in financing of nutrition interventions.
Special Assistant to the President on Public Health, Uju Rochas-Anwukah thanked the Vice President for being a voice and champion for nutrition and related activities in the country.
She emphasised the need for nutrition and related activities to be taken to the grassroots and highlighted the action plan developed by the committee which is anchored on decentralised coordination; accountability; financing; nutrition prioritization and profile raising; and scaling up nutrition interventions.
On his part, the Senior Health Advisor at the Nigerian Governors Forum Secretariat, Ahmad Abdulwahab commended the leadership and commitment of the Vice President in driving nutrition and related interventions in the country, especially galvanising the participation of the sub-nationals.
(Editor: Terverr Tyav)
