OVER 35% OF NIGERIAN CHILDREN FACE MALNUTRITION – NARD

Nigeria’s malnutrition crisis is worsening, with over 35 per cent of children under the age of five currently affected, the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has warned.

In a strongly worded statement posted on X on Thursday, the association described the situation as “a ticking public health time bomb” that continues to claim young lives, stunt cognitive growth, and weaken the nation’s future workforce.

“Malnutrition contributes massively to child deaths in Nigeria. It impairs learning, increases vulnerability to disease, and undermines national productivity,” NARD stated.

The doctors’ body highlighted several intervention strategies—including Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF), community-based management of acute malnutrition (CMAM), and Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF) counselling—saying these have proven effective where properly implemented. However, NARD noted that the reach and sustainability of these programmes remain weak, leaving millions of children exposed.

“Our members are at the frontlines, implementing and researching solutions daily. But without consistent government backing and adequate funding, progress will remain slow,” the association added.

The warning adds to growing concern at the highest levels of government. In August, the Federal Government declared the malnutrition situation a “national emergency,” with estimated economic losses topping $1.5 billion annually. Special Assistant to the President on Public Health, Uju Rochas-Anwuka, admitted the crisis is eroding human capital and threatening national development goals.

Vice President Kashim Shettima had earlier in July described the situation as a “national crisis” during a nutrition summit in Abuja. He noted that close to 40 per cent of Nigerian children under five are malnourished. “Food insecurity is not only about hunger. It is about access to nutritious food, education, and the future of our children,” he said.

Humanitarian agencies are also raising the alarm. Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders) disclosed in July that more than 600 malnourished children died in northern Nigeria within the first half of the year. The group reported a 208 per cent increase in severe malnutrition cases compared to the same period in 2023, blaming rising living costs, dwindling donor funding, and persistent insecurity.

Health experts warn that unless Nigeria scales up sustainable nutrition programmes and tackles food insecurity head-on, the country risks losing another generation to preventable malnutrition-related deaths.