A group, Civil Society Scaling-Up Nutrition in Nigeria (CS-SUNN) in collaboration with stakeholders in the nutrition circle has called for continous capacity building on basic nutrition concepts for nutrition desk officers
in states.
The group’s call is in a communique issued on Wednesday in Abuja at the end of its two-day meeting on domestication of
the National Committee on Food and Nutrition (NCFN) terms of reference held in Lagos recently.
The communique, signed by Olubunmi Braheem, Secretary, Lagos State Committee on Food and Nutrition, was issued by
Mrs Lilian Okafor, the group’s Communication Officer.
It stated that the meeting, which had in attendance, officials from the Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning,
among others, was to build the capacity of nutrition desk officers on memo writing.
According to the communique, the meeting observed that the malnutrition burden of Lagos State is manifesting in form of under nutrition, stunting and wasting.
It observed that the recommendation of lower level officers as members of State Committees on Nutrition (SCFN) by Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) may hinder effective implementation of the Food and Nutrition Policy in Lagos State.
The communique noted that the Lagos State policy and Multi-Sectoral Plan of Action for Food and Nutrition would expire in 2023, and that there was little improvement in collaboration among MDAs in implementing nutrition activities.
It said that the meeting also resolved that Lagos State lacked specific database that should showcase nutrition activities from all MDAs, and that there was paucity of knowledge on some nutrition concepts among SCFN members.
It also observed that there was need to establish Local Government and Local Council Development Area Committees on Food and Nutrition in the state in line with the Food and Nutrition Policy.
The meeting, therefore, recommended improved collaboration among MDAs in implementing nutrition activities, and a nutrition dash board be showcased in MDAs.
“There should be continuous capacity building on basic nutrition concepts among SCFN members, and advocacy visits and sensitisation should be made to Conference 57.
“There should be a visit to the Commissioner for Local Government and Community Affairs on the need to establish and inaugurate the LG/LCDA Committee on Food & Nutrition.
“There is need for statewide standard format of memo writing, and a quarterly newsletter of nutrition activities in relevant MDAs, prepared and published by the representative of Ministry of Information.
“The strategy advocacy to heads of relevant MDAs should be a continuous exercise.” (NAN)