Nnenna Mba – Abakaliki
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has expressed concern over rising child malnutrition in Ebonyi State, revealing that 32 percent of children under age five are currently stunted, according to the 2024 National Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS).
The disclosure was made on Monday during the official handover of Small Quantity Lipid-Based Nutrient Supplements (SQ-LNS) to the Ebonyi State Government in Abakaliki by the UNICEF Enugu Field Office. The Chief of Field Office, Juliet Chiluwe, described the increasing rate of stunting as a “major public health emergency requiring urgent intervention.”
Chiluwe noted that child stunting in Ebonyi has risen steadily from 20.6 percent in 2015 to 25 percent in 2018, and now 32 percent in 2024, adding that the SQ-LNS programme will help reduce micronutrient deficiencies and prevent growth retardation among children aged 6–23 months.
“The urgency of scaling up evidence-based interventions like SQ-LNS cannot be overemphasized,” she said, explaining that the supplements improve child immunity, brain development and survival when properly deployed through health facilities and community platforms. She disclosed that the procurement was funded under the Child Nutrition Match-Fund (CNF) Project, with the Ebonyi State Government contributing ₦150 million matched by UNICEF to provide 2,832 cartons of SQ-LNS for statewide distribution.
Representing Governor Francis Nwifuru, Deputy Governor Princess Patricia Obila pledged that the state would aggressively combat malnutrition, assuring that Ebonyi would apply the same commitment that helped the state eradicate polio. She also urged increased community sensitization and involvement of the National Orientation Agency (NOA) to promote proper feeding practices.
Commissioner for Health, Dr. Moses Ekuma, commended UNICEF for its continued partnership and revealed that training for health workers and caregivers who will administer the supplements will commence next week.
