As Nigeria joined the rest of the world to commemorate the National Nutrition Week 2024, Federal Government has assured of its efforts in tackling food insecurity and nutrition gap in the country.
Sensitizing Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs, in the Durumi community of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT on the theme of the Nutrition week “Nourishing Our Communities, Empowering Nigerians for Better Nutrition,” the Permanent Secretary who was ably represented by the Deputy Director, Nutrition, Department of Social Development in the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, FMBEP, Mrs. Clementina Okoro, in her welcome address, informed all present that the celebration of the week was aimed at raising awareness on the importance of nutrition especially in this period of food and nutrition insecurity.
Okoro, according to a press release issued by the Director, Press and Public Relations, Mrs Julie Jacobs Osagi noted that the Federal Government was working on tackling nutrition gaps in nutrition with the imminent flag off of “Nutrition 774 initiative” on 11th November, 2024.
This, she noted will ensure a catalytic effort by all Local Government Councils, LGCs, in Nigeria to bring nutrition issues to the fore front.
Various local and global communities in their goodwill messages resonated around the theme of the celebration and advocated the importance of good nutrition.
The nutrition Week was a joint celebration by Federal implementing entities of Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, FMH&SW, Federal Ministry of Women Affairs, FMWA, Federal Ministry of Education, FME, Abuja Municipal Area Council, AMAC, Abaji, Gwagwalada, Kuje, Area Councils of the FCT.
The celebration of the Nutrition week entailed exposition on early initiation of Breast Milk to infants, consumption of dietary supplements, checking of weights and heights of infants to determine their health status and the use of de-worming tablets for children under five years.
The statement disclosed that nutrition Officers from the area councils gave updates on nutrition activities in their area councils.
It added that the celebration of the nutrition week was sponsored by the World Bank, United States Agency for International Development, USAID, UNICEF, and the Accelerating Nutrition Results in Nigeria, ARIN, Nutrition Society of Nigeria, NSN, FCT Chapter and the Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, FMBEP.