Make nutrition part of the health care delivery in Nigeria – Waspenga Tinubu tasks, others

The West African Society of Parentral and Enteral Nutrition (Waspen) has commissioned President Bola Tinubu, national leaders and professional bodies to make nutrition a structured part of the health care delivery in Nigeria.

The president and founder of Waspen, Dr. Teresa I. Pounds, gave the advice on Monday during a press conference to launch the 2025 edition of the Malnutrition Awareness Week.

Dr. Pounds stressed that collective action is needed against the “silent epidemic” of the hospital malnutrition.

According to the president and founder of Waspen, the malnutrition of the hospital remains a critical but not recognized challenge, with global estimates that show that one in three hospitalized patients suffer from malnutrition.

“In Nigeria, the emerging data of the tertiary hospitals reveal rates of hospital malnutrition between 30% and 45%, in particular among surgical, pediatric and oncological patients,” he said.

Dr. Pounds added: “Malnutrition within the hospital settings undermines recovery, intensifies healthcare costs and worsens mortality, but remains poorly recognized and faced inadequately”.

“The worrying statistics, including a study in the state of Nasarawa in which 41.2% of children under five admitted showed signs of global malnutrition, while 71.3% of elderly patients hospitalized in Enugu was malnourished”.

He stressed that this year’s campaign, “United Against Malnutrition” theme, underlines the need for global and regional collaboration to face malnutrition both in communities and healthcare structures “.

“To fill data gaps, Waspen is collaborating with a leader Nigerian institution to collect national data updated on the malnutrition of the hospital, which will inform the defense for the integration of nutritional treatments in Nigeria’s health strategies”.

Stressing that this year he only scores the second week of awareness on malnutrition in Nigeria, he said. The initiative has significantly extended, with 17 institutions participating at national level – for seven last year – and for the first time, the inclusion of Cameroon and Ghana.

The week of awareness, which will take place from 8 to 12 September, will present Webinar on standardized clinical nutritional protocols and paths for the integration of nutritional treatments in health systems, together with specific events of the institution throughout West Africa.

Recognizing the participation of the international partners of the American Society for Parentral and Enteral Nutrition (Aspen), Dr. Phil Ayers and Dr. Albert Barrocas, whose presence reports the growing role of West Africa in the global movement of nutrition care.