FAO urges Nigerians to protect children from food crisis

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), of the United Nations has urged Nigeria to protect vulnerable children in the country from suffering and malnutrition associated with food crisis.

The agency in a joint response with the UN Refugee Agency, the United Nations Children’s Fund, the World Food Programme, and the World Health Organisation called for accelerated progress on the Global Action Plan on Child Wasting.

The World Health Organisation noted that, “The rising cost of living is leaving an increasing number of children acutely malnourished while key health, nutrition and other life-saving services are becoming less accessible.”

Professor of Public Health at the University of Ilorin, Tanimola Akande, also advised the government to implement the enormous resources in the country to clamp down on malnutrition in the country.

Also, a medical doctor and policy analyst, Dr Julian Ojebo, said malnutrition in Nigeria can be associated with poverty, which may have long-lasting effects on children beginning before birth and continuing after birth. This is as he stated that when the child is appropriately fed, malnutrition will be reduced or completely eradicated.