Chief of UNICEF Field Office in Enugu, Mrs Juliet Chiluwe, has commended the governments of Enugu and Benue states for their commitment to improving the nutrition of women and children, describing the first 1,000 days of life as critical to lifelong health and development.
Chiluwe made the remark at the opening of a two-day Joint Inception and Planning Meeting on prevention of malnutrition in the first 1,000 days, held in Awka and organised by UNICEF in collaboration with the two state governments, through finding from the United States Government.
She said the meeting provided an opportunity to align priorities, clarify roles and drive evidence-based implementation.
According to her, sustainable nutrition outcomes require coordinated, multi-sectoral efforts across health, agriculture, education, water, sanitation and social protection.
In Enugu, the Executive Secretary of Enugu State Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr Ifeyinwa Ani-Osheku, said the state invested N439.2 million in nutrition and related health interventions in 2025 to improve child survival and development outcomes.
Ani-Osheku said N160 million was allocated to the Child Nutrition Fund for procurement of essential commodities, including lipid-based nutrient supplements, ready-to-use therapeutic food and multiple micronutrient supplements.
She added that N178 million was used to procure two million doses of Albendazole for deworming, while N61.33 million funded two rounds of the 2025 Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Week.
According to her, other allocations include N8 million for World Food Day, N4.6 million for inauguration of Local Government Committees on Food and Nutrition, N8.9 million for Nutrition Week, N1.2 million for quarterly state nutrition meetings and N16 million for dietary diversity initiatives.
She noted that the investments were aimed at strengthening nutrition interventions, reducing malnutrition and improving public health outcomes.
She added that UNICEF also supported the state with commodities and N75.38 million for health week activities.
Also speaking, the Enugu State Nutrition Officer, Mrs Loveth Onwuzulike, said child nutrition indicators in the state showed mixed progress, with stunting at 15.2 per cent and wasting at 3.9 per cent in 2024.
She said exclusive breastfeeding declined slightly to 54.1 per cent, while only 38 per cent of pregnant women attended at least four antenatal visits and 52 per cent were anaemic.
Onwuzulike added that only 41 per cent of women received micronutrient supplements, while 16 per cent of children aged six to 23 months met minimum acceptable diet standards.
In Benue, the State Nutrition Officer, Dr Faustina Shar, said 342,919 children, representing 25 per cent of children under two years, were stunted, while 699,554 (51 per cent) were anaemic.
Shar described the situation as a major public health concern, noting that 29.4 per cent of women in the state were anaemic.
She said malnutrition remained a critical development challenge linked to poor health outcomes, weak immunity and reduced economic productivity.
According to her, key drivers include poverty, poor access to nutritious food, inadequate sanitation, harmful cultural beliefs, insecurity and weak healthcare access.
Shar added that 49.1 per cent of pregnant women attended at least four antenatal visits, while 33.2 per cent had none, and only 16 per cent of children aged six to 23 months received minimum dietary diversity.
In his remarks, Dr Paul Ogwuche, Benue Commissioner for Health and Human Services, described the high malnutrition rate as unfortunate but reaffirmed government’s commitment to addressing the challenge.
Ogwuche said the state would implement strategies discussed at the meeting to improve the nutritional wellbeing of women and children, while commending UNICEF and the United States for their continued support.
