The United Nations Children’s Fund, UNICEF, said that over 67 percent of women in Nigeria are anaemic.
The global organization cautioned that of the figure, those that could still have children might not come out alive if they get pregnant except something urgent was done to tackle the worrisome nutrition deficiency rate in the country.
UNICEF Nutrition Specialist, Ngozi Onuora who made this known during a five day ‘Community of Practice workshop on Building Capacity to Mainstream Nutrition into the Investment Agenda, lamented the effect of malnutrition on the overall health and wellbeing of the mother and child.
While speaking on the objective of the workshop and the ‘Effective Management of First 1,000 days Window of Opportunity for Every Child – Strategic Preventive Option’, Onuora noted that the issue of malnutrition was multilayered.
She stressed the importance of ensuring good nutrition for women of child bearing age and the expectant mother for the healthy development of the baby even at foetal stage.
