WITH increasing number of cases of malnutrition and food poisoning related illnesses and deaths in Nigeria, the Nigerian Economic Summit Group, NESG, Thursday, along with ehealth Africa and the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre, CISLAC, collaborated to proffer solution on boosting food fortification in Nigeria ‘s food sector.
This was during a webinar organized by NESG with the theme ‘Impact of Food Fortification Compliance: A Case for Industrial Fortification’
The Country Director, Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), Dr Michael Ojo, in an opening remark, explained that the third-party advocacy is a partnership between the NESG, eHealth Africa and CISLAC with technical support from GAIN, which is aimed at stimulating advocacy around food fortification compliance, identifying efforts and draw up actionable recommendations that will encourage industrial fortification.
Furthermore, Dr Ojo stated that Nigeria is blessed with rich agricultural resources but finds itself with the challenge of micronutrient deficiency, which has profound socio-economic implications.
However, he noted that the government has taken action in terms of policy which encourages the fortification of staple foods and agencies such as the National Food Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, the Standards Organization of Nigeria, SON, and the Federal Competition & Consumer Protection Council (FCCPC) have been entrusted with ensuring adherence and monitoring of producers to ensuring fortification compliance.
Duing the panel session, Global Programme Lead for Food Fortification at GAIN, Penjani Mkambula, stated that over the years, fortification has been helpful not only in reducing micronutrient deficiencies but also in reducing certain disease burdens and medical conditions such as Goitre, which was reduced through the introduction of iodised salt.
However, a Health System Development Expert, Senator Dr Ibrahim Yahaya Oloriegbe, said that malnutrition is a persistent barrier to the country’s growth, which people at the household level may recognise malnutrition but usually have difficulty associating it with food with spiritual problems.
He pointed out that culture, food habits of people, power dynamics in a family and socio-economic issues such as the purchasing power of individuals and the environment may significantly affect or encourage malnutrition’’.
