According to a news report from Vanguard, the Kwara State Government has convened a stakeholders meeting to address the escalating issue of malnutrition within the state.

During the meeting held on Thursday, the Commissioner for Communications, Bola Olukoju, expressed concern over the increasing cases of malnutrition, emphasising its detrimental effect on the socio-economic development of Kwara State.

Represented by the Permanent Secretary, Mohammed Yahaya, Olukoju highlighted the importance of avoiding malnutrition and encouraged residents to utilise the plentiful and affordable local food resources to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

The Commissioner stressed that malnutrition is not only a health concern but also a significant impediment to the socio-economic progress of the state, impacting the well-being and development of many residents.

“The government, under the leadership of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, is committed to eradicating this menace through comprehensive and sustainable interventions.

She added that, “Today, we gather to address a critical issue that affects the well-being of our communities: malnutrition, dietary habits, and the utilization of locally available recipes.

“The event is part of our ongoing efforts to inform and engage the public about the dangers of malnutrition and to share the measures the state government is taking to combat it. We have entered into various partnerships and intensified our efforts to ensure that every resident of the state has access to nutritious food.”

In his presentation on Malnutrition, Manager, ARIN Project, Kwara state Ministry of Health, Dr Habeeb Lawal revealed that Nigeria has the highest number of stunted children in the world.

He noted that malnutrition is dangerous as it breaks down the system of the body, and drops the immunity which in turn might ultimately lead to death.

He added that malnutrition also produces children with stunted growth who lack intelligent quotient and are ultimately useless to the family and even the society.

Dr Lawal added that 30 percent of the malnourished children are sons and daughters of the average and well-to-do families.

He hinted further that the state is one the states to implement multi-sectoral action plan of action for malnutrition.

“Indeed, the state has the Bible and Q'uran of nutrition to address malnutrition, “he stressed .

He also said that one of the ways to avoid malnutrition is for mothers to ensure breastfeeding of their babies one hour after delivery to build a strong and healthy life for the baby.

For her part, Hajia Jemila Gene from the state Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, recommended the consumption from locally available recipes.

She talked on “Dietary habits and locally available recipes.” Hajia Gene cautioned against consumption of junk foods, recommending instead, use of local cuisines.

She also recommended home gardening to reduce the gravity of the soaring prices of food stuffs.

“With the recent increase in the prices of food items, it has become more imperative for more Nigerians to get involved in growing some of the food items they consume,” she said.