By Fatima Mohammed-Lawal
Gov. AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara has advised people in Kwara to eat nutritious foods for healthy living.
AbdulRazaq made the call on Wednesday while speaking at the Official Launching of “Eat The Rainbow” campaign in Ilorin.
The governor who was represented by the Kwara Commissioner for Finance, Dr Hauwa Nuru, stated that the World Nutrition Day serves as a global reminder of the vital role that nutrition plays in overall health and well-being.
The governor emphasize the importance of balanced diets, and the need to tackle malnutrition in all its forms.
He pointed out that “eating a rainbow”, denotes eating foods, fruits and vegetables of different colours in every meal.
AbdulRazaq explained further that it is an evidence based approach to how we nourish our body.
He reiterated the resolve of the state government in prioritizing the health of the citizens through promotion of nutrition, and creating a well informed healthy citizens.
Earlier in her welcome address, Dr Amina El-Imam, the Kwara Commissioner for Health explained that the innovative nutrition campaign is aimed at improving food diversity.
She added that the campaign also aims at promoting good and balanced nutrition across communities in Kwara.
“Good nutrition is the cornerstone of health and well-being. It is the foundation upon which children grow, adults thrive, and the elderly live with dignity and strength,” she said.
El-Imam observed that the recently released National Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) report of 2023 to 2024 shows that the nutritional status of children under five years needs more attention throughout Nigeria.
According to her, in Kwara, the proportion of children who are underweight stands at 24.5 percent, well below the national average.
The commissioner pointed out that between 2013 and 2019, UNICEF exited Kwara due to discontinued counterpart funding.
She described the period as a difficult time for children related issues, adding that the proportion of children suffering from wasting or who have low weights for their heights rose from 6.5 percent in 2013 to 7.3 percent in 2018.
The commissioner explained that presently the figure is down to 6.1 percent of under-five children in Kwara state.
“This means that an estimated 50,744 children need immediate support from wasting, while the national figure is 8.0 percent.
“Even with relatively better indices than the national average, we are still on course to further lower the figure,” she said.
El-Imam added that to tackle wasting and other severe forms of malnutrition among children, the Ministry of Health has taken delivery of 3,964 cartons of ready-to-use therapeutic foods (RUTF).