Three hundred and forty-two thousand, nine hundred and nineteen children under two in Benue are stunted, representing 25 per cent of the 1,371,676 children within the age bracket. Benue’s nutrition officer, Faustina Shar, also disclosed that 699,554 children, representing 51 per cent, were anaemic in the state.

Ms Shar disclosed the figures on Wednesday during a two-day Joint Inception and Planning Meeting on preventing malnutrition within the first 1,000 days of life.

The meeting, held in Awka, was organised by the United Nations Children’s Fund alongside the governments of Enugu and Benue, with funding from the United States.

Ms Shar described the growing malnutrition burden as a major public health concern that requires urgent, coordinated intervention across multiple sectors.

“Nutrition remained a critical component of development,” she said during the stakeholders’ engagement meeting.

She explained that proper nutrition improved infant, child, adolescent and maternal health, while strengthening immunity and ensuring safer pregnancy and childbirth outcomes.

According to her, good nutrition also reduces the risk of non-communicable diseases and enhances long-term human development and productivity.

Ms Shar warned that malnutrition continues to limit the potential of millions worldwide, with effects that extend across generations and undermine economic growth and human capital development.

She identified poverty, poor access to nutritious foods, weak sanitation and hygiene, ignorance and harmful breastfeeding beliefs as major causes of malnutrition.

The nutrition officer also listed insecurity, poor food production methods, large family sizes and weak healthcare and road access among contributing factors.

She noted that malnutrition remained a serious threat to Nigeria’s development, especially among children under five years.

According to Ms Shar, malnutrition contributes to poor cognitive development, weak immunity and low educational attainment among affected children.

On maternal health indicators, Mr Shar said only 49.1 per cent of pregnant women attended at least four antenatal care visits in Benue. She added that 33.2 per cent of pregnant women did not attend antenatal care throughout pregnancy.

Ms Shar further disclosed that 63.9 per cent of women received iron, folic acid or multiple micronutrient supplements during pregnancy. She said 29.47 per cent of women of reproductive age in the state were anaemic.

The official also expressed concern over declining breastfeeding practices across the state in recent years.

She said, “Early breastfeeding declined from 47.4 per cent in 2021 to 29.4 per cent in 2024. Exclusive breastfeeding also dropped from 56.8 per cent to 39.9 per cent within the same period.”

Ms Shar said only 16 per cent of children aged 6-23 months achieved the minimum dietary diversity. She added that just 36.8 per cent of children met the minimum meal frequency requirement needed for healthy growth and development.

According to her, stunting prevalence was 25.3 per cent, while wasting prevalence was 6.7 per cent statewide.

She said Vitamin A supplementation coverage declined sharply from 62 per cent in 2018 to 45.1 per cent in 2024, and that only 21.7 per cent of children aged 12 to 59 months were dewormed.

(NAN)