UNICEF and the State Primary Health Care Development Agencies (SPHCDA) of Enugu and Benue states held a two-day inception and planning meeting in Awka, the Anambra State capital, to address malnutrition among children in their first 1,000 days of life. The meeting brought together officials from UNICEF, SPHCDA, and state ministries of health, agriculture, budget and planning. The first 1,000 days, defined as the period from conception to a child's second birthday, was identified as a critical window for nutritional intervention.
Juliet Chiluwe, UNICEF Chief of Field Office in Enugu, said the agency is working with Benue State on a programme supported by the United States government through funding and technical assistance. The programme focuses on supporting mothers and children from conception through the child's second year. It includes antenatal care, skilled birth attendance, childhood immunisation, and access to nutritious food for both mother and child.
Dr. Ifeyinwa Ani-Osheku, Executive Secretary of Enugu State SPHCDA, opened the meeting and cited alarming statistics on stunted growth among children in the state. She described stunting as a disaster affecting intellectual development and linked it to maternal nutrition and feeding practices in early childhood. She stressed that empowering women to make household food choices is key to improving child nutrition outcomes.
Dr. Faustina Shar, State Nutrition Officer for the Benue State Primary Health Care Board, stated that malnutrition in all forms continues to affect millions globally. She noted that good nutrition improves maternal and child health, strengthens immunity, and reduces the risk of non-communicable diseases. Poor nutrition, she added, harms human capital and economic progress across generations.
UNICEF is backing a programme in Benue to support mothers and children through the first 1,000 days, yet Enugu officials cite stunting as a crisis despite being part of the same initiative. If both states are engaged in the same effort, the high stunting numbers in Enugu suggest implementation gaps. The success of the programme hinges on whether nutrition support reaches pregnant women and new mothers consistently. Without closing that gap, the cycle of stunted development will continue.
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