NGO, finance ministry train journalists on nutrition reporting

Save the Children International, Nigeria, a non-governmental organisation (NGO) in partnership with Federal Ministry Finance, Budget and Planning on Wednesday trained journalists on sensitization and capacity building on nutrition reporting and media coverage in Nigeria.

According to The Blueprint, the training was held in Abuja to commemorate the 2020 Nutrition Week.

According to the Director Social Development Department, Ministry of Finance , Budget and National Planning , Abdulkadir Sa’adu the ministry in collaboration with Nutrition and Society of Nigeria (NSN) and relevant nutrition stakeholders since 2016 have been organising nutrition week in order to encourage healthy living through nutrition education and creating public awareness.

He said the week is also a national platform to address nutrition issues affecting young children, adolescents, adults and elderly as well as nutrition in emergency situation.

According to him, at the end of the training, the media will acquire new knowledge on nutrition, disseminate correct nutrition information to the public as well as become nutrition champions.

In a paper presentation, a consultant from the Ministry of Health, Mrs Thompson Kobata Chimay identified two major forms of under nutrition assault on the Nigerian child.

She said some of the assaults are Acute Malnutrition or wasting child in 100 thin, low weight compared to height.

She also identified chronic malnutrition on stunting whereby the child has low height compared to age.