Disclosing this at a one-day advocacy visit by the Civil Society-Scaling Up Nutrition in Nigeria (CS-SUNN) led by its Executive Secretary, Mrs. Beatrice Eluaka, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Youths and Social Development, Lagos State, Mrs. Yewande Falugba, said that with this committee in place, Lagos is ready to collaborate with CS-SUNN to deepen uptake of nutritious diets and ethics among citizenry.
In her remarks, CS-SUNN Executive Secretary, Mrs. Eluka, commended Lagos for the milestones achieved in times including the dedication of budget lines for some nine Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).
She sought the PS support for domestication of the National Policy on Food and Nutrition in Lagos State.
In addition, CS-SUNN sought for support in approval, release (cash backed) and implementation of the policy document and Strategic Plan of Action by the State Executive Council (SEC).
CS-SUNN further requested for mobilization of high level members of the State Executive Council to endorse the policy document and strategic plan of Action for Nutrition.
As said by Mrs Eluaka, the malnutrion index of the state, which stunting rate stood at 17 per cent and wasting at 6.6 per cent.
“Going by the WHO standard, these indices call for emergency response.
“This invariably has impact on state development and growth,” she said.
The ES was accompanied by the National Steering Committee Chair on Advocacy, Mrs Aji Robinson, as well as the Lagos CS-SUNN advocacy team including Dr Modupe Akinyinka, Co-ordinator - CS –SUNN, Lagos State Chapter, Mrs. Ebere Okey-Onyema, Secretary, Lagos CS-SUNN, Mrs. Ewa Ekpeyong, Assistant Secretary, Lagos Chapter, Remmy Nweke, Editor at NaijaAgroNet and Natioanl Coordinator, Media Centre Against child Malnutriton (MeCAM), Mr. Lanre Olotu of Hepatitis Care Foundation, Member-CS-SUNN, Sam Akinyolode of Revive Agriculture Africa.
NaijaAgroNet gathered that this advocacy visit is part of the Partnership for Improving Nigeria’s Nutrition Systems (PINNS) project and designed to strengthen the Nigeria nutrition systems to be more Result –driven, Effective, Serviceable, Efficient and Transparent (RESET) under the management of Civil Society Scaling Up-Nutrition in Nigeria (CS-SUNN) in line with its mission ‘to mobilize State and Non -State actors to generate evidence, build capacity, advocate and stimulate communities to scale up Nutrition in Nigeria.’
Chuks Egbune/DoP
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