Civil Society Scaling-Up Nutrition in Nigeria (CS-SUNN) has said its Partnership for Improving Nigeria Nutrition System (PINNS) 2.0 will reduce 20 per cent of stunted growth in children and the malnutrition rate in the country.
The Acting Executive Secretary of
CS-SUNN, Mr Okoronkwo Sunday, disclosed this at the launching of the PINNS 2.0 Project and a meeting of stakeholders.
He also disclosed that the project would increase the exclusive breastfeeding rate from the current 27% to over 50%, which will change the narrative of the nutrition system in Nigeria.
- Kaduna Govt. to stop relying on federal allocation soon, says commissioner
- Oyo Institution becomes first Nigerian Polytechnic to get NIFST induction
The Acting Executive Secretary (ES) explained that the five piloted states where the first phase of the project kick-started, Kaduna, Lagos, Niger, Kano, Nasarawa, and FCT being the national, would be the states where PINNS 2.0 would focus on in terms of implementation.
He noted the PINNS 2.0 would measure the level of implementation of nutrition strategies and would cover up for states where there are shortfalls as well as support and work with the states to see other forms of innovations.
According to him, it will support innovative funding that will help implement the CS-SUNN plan, policy, and multi-sectoral strategic plan of action for nutrition.
The acting ES stated that CS-SUNN was determined to improve the nutrition system in the country, especially for the new generation of children, who he called responsible men and women, who are highly intelligent.
He said that if PINNS 2.0 target is achieved, the new generation of children fed with high nutrition substances will contribute to the Gross Domestic Product of the Country (GDP).
He, however, scored the CS-SUNN pass mark in the first phase, saying that the civil society organisation was able to achieve a lot in terms of policy framework and cooperation of the state government.
Mr Bamidele Omotola, CS-SUNN Board Chairman, also scored the organisation high in terms of awareness, adding that there has been an increase in the nutrition level of the country.
“We are witnessing some progress which is visible in the sense that the policy environment is changing and improving, we are getting more actors, we are getting more government involvement and responsiveness.
“We are putting in place governance structure, policy environment. Some states are now ready to fund nutrition activities in the relevant MDA, and nutrition belongs to several sectors like health, agriculture, industries, education, women, and social protection,’’ he said.
Malam Sodangi Chindo, Co-chairman, CS-SUNN steering committee, stated that the PINNS 2.0 project would make more advocacy at the grassroots one of the project’s targets.
He said that the organisation had achieved the policy angle and that what is left now is disseminating the policy document at the local level.
He added that there was a need for CS-SUNN to have stakeholders at the grassroots and that the PINNS 2.0 would work in this direction and commended the government for the support it is giving to the organisation.
Mrs Ramatu Umar, Permanent Secretary, Niger State Planning Commission, commended CS-SUNN, saying that, with the CSO push on the state, Niger state had witnessed tremendous change in its nutrition system.
She said that with the coming in of CS-SUNN to the nutrition system in the state, there had been a drop in the percentage of children with stunted growth.
Mr Auwalu Sanda, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Planning and Budget, Kano, stated that the state had been giving nutrition activities the priority attention it deserved since the coming in of CS-SUNN.
“Government is working seriously in terms of food security, and we have been able to bring out the issue of malnutrition as regards to the children because it has a multiplier effect.
“For a state to have a strong workforce, the issue of malnutrition has to be tackled, and the government is budgeting”.
