Nigeria,US Group Target 6.4m Child Malnutrition Cases With $1bn Funding Drive –
Federal Government Partners with U.S. Organization to Combat Child Malnutrition
The Federal Government of Nigeria has formed a partnership with Operation End Starvation, a U.S.-based organization, to address the pressing issue of acute child malnutrition affecting an estimated 6.4 million children in the country.
This collaboration seeks to prevent child deaths associated with starvation and to enhance nutrition for at-risk groups, including pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers. The initiative was announced by Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, during a meeting with First Lady Oluremi Tinubu and representatives from the organization.
In a statement released Monday by Busola Kukoyi, Senior Special Assistant on Media to the First Lady, discussions emphasized the enhancement of existing government programs targeting hunger and malnutrition.
Pate highlighted Nigeria’s commitment to alleviating the burden of acute child malnutrition through initiatives such as the National Community Food Bank Programme, which operates across the country’s six geopolitical zones in collaboration with the Office of the First Lady.
Williams Holdsworth Moore, Chief Executive Officer of Operation End Starvation, expressed the organization’s ambition to mobilize over $1 billion in resources to combat starvation across sub-Saharan Africa over the next two years. “We aim to move one billion dollars to end starvation in the next two years across sub-Saharan Africa. The burden is high, but the capacity is also very high,” he stated.
Moore praised Nigeria’s focus on acute malnutrition and expressed a desire for the country to take a leading role in the initiative. The program has garnered support from a macro grant provided by the U.S. government, in addition to contributions from global philanthropists.
In response, First Lady Tinubu affirmed her confidence in Nigeria’s health workforce, promising that any assistance received through the partnership would be utilized effectively. “I assure you that whatever aid you give us, this health team would put it to good use,” she said.
She also noted that the reforms being implemented by President Bola Tinubu’s administration aim to enhance the country’s systems and improve outcomes for Nigerians.
Operation End Starvation, launched by the Eleanor Crook Foundation, plans to focus on Nigeria over the next two years, utilizing direct government partnerships to showcase the benefits of significant investment in addressing child malnutrition. This funding initiative coincides with Nigeria’s ongoing efforts to reduce acute malnutrition and bolster support for vulnerable children and mothers.
