Addressing the urgent crisis of malnutrition in Northern Nigeria

Malnutrition remains one of the major public health challenges in northern Nigeria, affecting millions of children with dire health and general developmental consequences. The region continues to report high incidences of malnutrition despite many interventions, thus leading to grave health consequences with socio-economic setbacks. Nigeria has the second highest burden of under-five-year-old stunted children, with […]

Malnutrition remains one of the major public health challenges in northern Nigeria, affecting millions of children with dire health and general developmental consequences. The region continues to report high incidences of malnutrition despite many interventions, thus leading to grave health consequences with socio-economic setbacks.

Nigeria has the second highest burden of under-five-year-old stunted children, with a national prevalence rate standing at 32 per cent. An estimated two million children suffer from Severe Acute Malnutrition in Nigeria, while only 20 per cent of the suffering children are treated. Exclusive breastfeeding rates have stagnated for almost a decade, standing at only 17 per cent of infants in the first six months of their lives are exclusively breastfed. In addition to this, only 18 per cent of the children aged 6-23 months receive the minimum acceptable diet.

Malnutrition directly or indirectly is responsible for about 45 per cent of the deaths in under-five children in Nigeria. Further, stunting not only increases the risk of mortality but is also associated with poor cognitive development, reduced educational performance, and lower productivity in adulthood. These factors contribute to economic losses estimated to account for up to 11 per cent of Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

Food insecurity has remained one of the most leading determinants of nutrition in Northern Nigeria. Insecurity and cost of living crises have left some 31.8 million Nigerians in acute food shortage. The increase in commodity prices, partly caused by the removal of fuel subsidies and the ongoing security challenges, has made millions precarious and impinged on access to affordable and nutritious foods.

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This crisis is further exacerbated by a lack of quality health services to add to the crisis. Many families in Northern Nigeria struggle to access adequate healthcare due to a lack of infrastructure, medical supplies, and trained professionals. Prevention and treatment of malnutrition without proper health care are barely attainable, thereby leaving children to its terrible consequences.

The other critical factors that determine the prevalence of malnutrition are the low levels of maternal education. Most mothers within the region lack information regarding nutritional requirements of the children or even the need for certain feeding practices, such as exclusive breastfeeding. This educational barrier prevents the adoption of optimal feeding practices, which are essential for a child’s growth and development.

The Nigerian government, in collaboration with international agencies, has taken various steps to curtail the upsurge of malnutrition. This includes such programmes as the National Strategic Plan of Action for Nutrition aimed at integrating nutrition into primary health care services for better access to nutrient foods. NGOs, such as UNICEF, complement this through the supply of Ready to Use Therapeutic Foods and promotion of community-based management for severe acute malnutrition.

The World Bank also rolled out the Accelerating Nutrition Results in Nigeria project (ANRiN), a major investment in the fight against malnutrition. Financed through an IDA investment of $225 million and a grant of $7 million from the Global Financing Facility, ANRiN seeks to improve the use of quality, affordable nutrition services for pregnant and lactating women, adolescent girls, and children under five.

The project aims at providing a Basic Package of Nutrition Services at the community level, comprising micronutrient supplementation, deworming, and promoting appropriate infant and young child feeding practices. The intervention is implemented across 12 high-burden states, plans to reach over 8.7 million beneficiaries, significantly reducing malnutrition rates and improving child health outcomes.

Community involvement is the backbone of combating malnutrition. Equipping local people with knowledge and actively engaging them is critical for achieving sustained improvement on child nutrition. For instance, community health workers could be trained so that early detection of cases could be ensured and followed by proper treatment. Additionally, engaging traditional and religious leaders and caregivers in nutrition programmes will encourage acceptance and adherence to recommended practices.

Funding remains one of the most significant barriers that are a rampant threat to the hopes of successfully addressing malnutrition. Most nutrition programmes are hardly funded to scale up, limiting their coverage area and contribution to vulnerable groups. Without continued financial investment, these programmes cannot succeed in the longer term.

Funding shortages remain one of the most significant barriers in addressing malnutrition effectively. Nutrition programs often lack the necessary resources to scale up their efforts, limiting their reach and impact on vulnerable communities. Without sustained financial support, these initiatives struggle to achieve long-term success.

The other challenge comes from some of the cultural beliefs and practices. In some communities, traditional feeding and nutritional misconceptions stand in the way of scientifically recommended methods to improve the health of children. These cultural barriers are very hard to overcome; they call for focused education and awareness that respect local cultures while promoting the best practices.

Insecurity in Northern Nigeria also contributes to disruption in food production and access to health services, adding to the malnutrition crisis. The ongoing conflict and violence cause families to run away from farms and livelihoods, reducing access to food and other essential health services for the children.

These are challenges that call for increased investment in nutrition programmes to address them. Both the government and private sectors should prioritise funding for nutrition initiatives to ensure their sustainability and scalability. Sufficient financial investment will help expand the services to more vulnerable groups, providing supplies necessary for treatment, such as RUTF.

Addressing the root causes of malnutrition requires integrated strategies that put together efforts across the health, agriculture, and education sectors. For example, improvement in agriculture to advance food production, improved healthcare facilities, and better education among mothers can, all put together, create an integrated approach toward reducing the prevalence of malnutrition.

Community involvement is just as important for the success of nutrition interventions. The involvement of the community from conceptualisation through implementation ensures that these initiatives are culturally relevant and widely accepted. When local leaders, caregivers, and health workers collaborate to promote child nutrition, the likelihood of sustained success increases.

Malnutrition is a fight in Northern Nigeria, one that represents a race against time where the lives and future of millions of children are in jeopardy. Though there are many challenges, they are, however, not insurmountable. Wide-ranging strategies involving proper government action, participation, and funding can reduce cases of malnutrition by improving the health status of the children. It is our shared responsibility to make this vision a reality. The cost of inaction is just too high: it is our children, our communities, and our country who will suffer as a result.