In what is described as one of the highest returns on investment for any development intervention, Vice President Kashim Shettima on Thursday disclosed that every dollar invested in nutrition yields a return of $23
Shettimma made this disclosure on Thursday while speaking at a high-level conference on mobilising action against malnutrition in Northwest Nigeria, hosted by the Katsina State Government, the Northwest Governors Forum, and Médecins Sans Frontières, in collaboration with the Office of the Vice President, UNICEF, the World Food Programme, the World Bank, the INGO Forum, and other partners.
It was gathered that the conference drew attention to the urgent need for stronger political and financial commitments to address malnutrition in Northwest Nigeria.
Recall that malnutrition has continues to threaten the lives of millions, particularly children and other vulnerable groups in the region, just as also health facilities across the region are recording levels of acute malnutrition, with admissions on the rise in recent months
Based on this, the conference, will, however, offers a platform and an opportunity to align stakeholders’ understanding, strengthen collaboration, renew commitments, and identify what more must be done to scale up treatment and malnutrition prevention programmes effectively.
Shettima, who was represented at the conference by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Health and Focal Person on Nutrition at the Office of the Vice President, Mrs Uju Rochas-Anwukah, said there is no more sacred duty of governance than ensuring that no child goes to bed hungry.Speaking at the conference President, Mrs Uju Rochas-Anwukah, said there is no more sacred duty of governance than ensuring that no child goes to bed hungry.
According to Shettimma , malnutrition in Nigeria is a regrettable tragedy, and the costs of inaction are devastating.
“Beyond the human tragedy lies the economic one. An estimated $56bn is lost in human capital every year, equivalent to 12.2 per cent of our national income.
“These figures represent lost potential, unfulfilled dreams, and a cycle of poverty that undermines our development. But our task here today is not to despair.
“The solutions to malnutrition are not mysteries. They are well-known, evidence-based, and cost-effective. Treating children affected by malnutrition saves lives. Preventing malnutrition allows them to grow, learn, and thrive because no child can learn on an empty stomach, ” he VP said, just as he also added that nutrition must not be seen as a cost but as an investment.
“It is the most strategic investment we can make in the future of our nation.
“Every dollar invested in nutrition yields a return of $23, one of the highest returns on investment for any development intervention.
“Investing in nutrition is investing in human capital, in the next generation, in those who will lead Nigeria’s future,” Shettima stated.Good
