The federal government has said that it is committed to improving maternal and child nutrition indices at the grassroots level in order to boost child development and national progress.
This is as about 600 healthcare personnel are now undertaking Maternal, Infant, and Young Child Nutrition training in Oyo.
Maternal, infant, and young child nutrition is critical for all children’s growth and development, and it has long-term consequences for their health and well-being.
Nigeria has one of the highest rates of malnutrition in Africa, as statistics suggest 37.2% of children under the age of 5 are stunted.
And 22.4% of children under the age of five are underweight.
It is against this backdrop that the Federal Ministry of Health is collaborating with critical stakeholders to train primary healthcare workers in Oyo state to reduce the persistent burden of malnutrition among women and children.
Approximately 684 health workers are currently undergoing the training to equip them with the knowledge and skills necessary to provide accurate guidance to households, mothers, and caregivers on best practices for maternal, infant, and young child nutrition.
The capacity building in Collaboration with the world bank underscores the Federal Government’s commitment to improving the health and wellbeing of Nigerian mothers and children, in line with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.
