Six million Lagos children face malnutrition crisis – NaijaAgroNet

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Lagos State, with an estimated population of 30 million people, is facing a deepening nutrition crisis, with no fewer than six million children under the age of five suffering from various forms of malnutrition.

According to fresh data presented at a regional workshop in Lagos on Tuesday, the situation has worsened considerably in recent years. Wasting among children rose from 11.4 per cent in 2021 to 15.8 per cent in 2022. Stunting increased from 11.4 per cent to 39.4 per cent within the same period, while the number of underweight children climbed from 14.5 per cent to 23.3 per cent.

The statistics were disclosed by the Executive Secretary of the Civil Society Scaling Up Nutrition in Nigeria (CS-SUNN), Mr. Sunday Okoronkwo, represented by Mrs. Mojibolanle Bello, Nutrition Officer, Directorate of Family Health and Nutrition. His presentation, Nutrition Situation in Lagos State, was delivered at the workshop held at Dover Hotel, Lagos.

NaijaAgroNet gathered that women of reproductive age are also severely affected, with 49.5 per cent suffering from anaemia and 4.0 per cent experiencing acute malnutrition.

On breastfeeding, the data presented mixed signals. Exclusive breastfeeding improved significantly, from 57.4 per cent in 2021 to 72.3 per cent in 2022. However, the number of mothers initiating breastfeeding within the first hour of birth fell sharply, from 25 per cent in 2017 to just 14 per cent in 2021.

Okoronkwo identified inadequate and untimely release of funds for nutrition programmes, shortage of nutritionists, staff attrition, and influx of immigrants as some of the major challenges undermining progress in the state.

To address these challenges, he recommended increased advocacy for timely funding, prioritisation of nutrition in government policies, and recruitment of more nutrition officers.

He maintained that sustained investment in nutrition, particularly for vulnerable groups such as women and children, remains the most effective strategy for reversing the tide of malnutrition in Lagos State.