NIGERIA NEEDS 144 MILLION DOLLARS TO FIGHT CHILD MALNUTRTION - UNICEF

The United Nations Children’s Fund, UNICEF, has disclosed that no less than $144 million was required to treat two million children suffering from acute malnutrition in the country.

 UNICEF also explained that of the 2.5 million children who needed treatment for malnutrition, only about 500 were treated, leaving two million untreated due to paucity of funds. Speaking at a two-day Media Dialogue in Yola, Adamawa State, with the theme, Investing in Child Malnutrition for the Future, UNICEF Nutrition Specialist, Mrs. Philomena Irene, explained that as little as $5 was needed to prevent malnutrition, while $72 could conveniently treat a malnourished child

. According to her, although statistics have shown that malnutrition is more in the North, there are pockets of malnutrition in every part of the country. She said: “Population of Nigerian children that is sick is more than the population of some countries.”