Communiqué of One Day Media Parley for Editors and Chief Executives of Media Houses on the Prevention and Management of Severe Acute Malnutrition in Nigeria held at Reiz Continental Hotel, Abuja on Tuesday, November, 27, 2018.
Preamble
Malnutrition is a health condition resulting from eating diet that is lacking in nutrients. Malnutrition in children is extremely harmful. The damage to physical and cognitive development during the first two years of a child’s life is largely irreversible.
Over the years, there has been growing concern about the danger Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) poses to the health of children in Nigeria and its negative effects on the future of the country.
It is for this reason that we, the undersigned twenty-nine organizations at the Media Parley on the Prevention and Management of Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) in Nigeria with the theme “Media As Strategic Partners In The Prevention And Management Of Severe Acute Malnutrition For Nigerian Children” held this 27th day of November, 2018, reaffirm our commitment to the health and healthy living of every Nigeria citizen particularly child health as a panacea for sustainable development for the country.
The participating organizations were Nigeria Television Authority (NTA), African Independent Television (AIT), Voice of Nigeria (VON), News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN), BBC Hausa Service, The Osasu Show Television Network, Guardian Newspaper, Thisday Newspaper, Daily Trust Newspaper, Blueprint Newspaper, Vanguard Newspaper, The Nation Newspaper, Kapital FM, Nigeria Health Watch (NHW), Leadership Newspaper, ONE campaign, Cool/Wazobia/NigeriaInfo, Bronze and Onyx International Limited (BOIL), International Society of Media in Public Health (ISMPH), Green Savanah Cable, Authoirity Newspaper, Scrollreport Online, Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), Aisha Buhari Foundation (ABF), Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), Network for Health, Equity and Development (NHED), Medicaid Cancer Foundation, Waterstone Projects Ltd, and the National Union of Journalist (NUJ).
We have noted the national, regional and international commitments made by the Government of Nigeria towards improved access to health and health living by all Nigerians including children.
We also recall the global recognition of health as a fundamental human right.
Recognizing the,
• Burden of stunting of Nigeria children occasioned by Severe Acute Malnutrition.
• Two million, five hundred thousand children suffering from Severe Acute Malnutrition yearly in Nigeria.
• Four Hundred and Twenty Thousand deaths of children as a result of Severe Acute malnutrition in Nigeria.
• Obligation of the government towards ensuring access to health and healthy living by all its citizens including children.
We resolve as follows:
1. To sustain on-going advocacy for the prevention and treatment of Severe Acute Malnutrition in Nigeria.
2. Give prominence to stories concerning malnutrition in Nigeria.
3. Create special programmes on radio and television.
4. Increase health pages of newspapers to accommodate child health/nutrition.
5. Intense online coverage for malnutrition stories.
6. Partner with the Nigeria SAM Advocacy Campaign Group to demand accountability from relevant key actors in addressing Severe Acute Malnutrition in Nigeria.
We demand as follows:
• The federal and state governments should increase funding for child health/nutrition in Nigeria especially in the nine worst hit states namely Kano, Katsina, Jigawa, Kaduna, Bauchi, Gombe, Sokoto, Zamfara and Kebbi.
• The federal and state governments should adopt adequate policies for the prevention and management of Severe Acute Malnutrition in Nigeria.
• The inclusion of Severe Acute Malnutrition within Nigeria’s Universal Health Coverage (UHC) agenda.
• Government of Nigeria should declare an emergency on Severe Acute Malnutrition in Nigeria.
• Governments at all levels must show more commitment and political will for the prevention and management of Severe Acute Malnutrition in Nigeria.
• The immediate release of one per cent Basic Health Care Fund (BHCF) as contained in the 2018 budget.
Signed on behalf of the participants:
Moji Makanjuola, MFR Janet Mba Afolabi
Executive Director, ISMPH Chairperson Communiqué Committee
