By Tony Okafor, Awka
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has advised Anambra Indigenes, especially nursing mothers and children to consume local foods.
The Chief of UNICEF Field Office, Enugu, Mrs Juliet Chiluwe, gave the advice during the Flag- off ceremony of the first round optimized maternal newborn and child health week organised by the Anambra Primary Health Care Development Agency and the State Ministry of Health in collaboration with UNICEF held on Tuesday at the Umueri Civic Centre in Anambra East Local Government Area of Anambra State.
She said local foods found in rural communities were far more nutritious than the fast food and other inorganic food that many would give preference to.
She said women had distinct nutritional requirements throughout their life – especially before and during pregnancy and while breastfeeding, when nutritional vulnerability would be greatest.
She counselled the women to ensure nutritious diets, sourced locally for the survival and well-being of themselves and their children.
She said,”Local food is good, and our call is for people to ensure that the dietical requirements for pregnant mothers as well as children. Most local meals are nutritious.”
Also speaking, the Drector of Programme Operations – Chief of Nutrition, UNICEF Nigeria, Nemat Hajeebhoy said the programme was to ensure that UNICEF support mothers in their role as mothers and as parents, and also recognize the importance of children and their health.
She said,” We remain committed to supporting government and delivering solutions, especially in the area of nutrition. Your governor, Prof Chukwuma Soludo has a mantra which says ‘Solution is here’, but we hope that the next word the governor will adopt is ‘solution is nutrition’.”
The Anambra State Deputy Governor, Dr Onyekachi Ibezim, who represented Soludo on the occasion thanked UNICEF for their various interventions in the state in many areas.
He promised a robust relationship with UNICEF to achieve positive goals
The event featured health talks, provision of vitamin A supplementation, deworming ,routine immunization and birth registration for children of various ages.
