Ikenna Obianeri
The wife of the Anambra State governor, Dr Nonye Soludo, has unveiled a natural ready-to-use baby food known as ‘Nonye Healthy Living Pap’ for children in the state to curb child malnutrition.
During the unveiling at the Dora Akunyili Women Development Centre in Awka, the state capital, on Tuesday, Soludo said the idea behind the initiative is to rescue children with special nutritional needs as well as a mitigation programme to address challenges of malnutrition.
She explained that the project done under the ‘Healthy Living with Nonye Soludo Initiative’ took up the challenge of tackling malnutrition among children, as a complementary step that supports existing strategic government policies.
She noted that with critical investments in the health sector and greater attention to primary health care delivery – including nutritional securities led by an intense campaign on exclusive breastfeeding, Anambra State has improved on the national nutritional index compared to other states in the country.
According to her, Anambra’s nutrition profile over the past few years has maintained a steady growth and demonstrated notable trends in nutritional needs compared to other states in the Southeast Zone.
She said, “Months ago before this idea was conceptualised, I had finished receiving a delegation from UNICEF. The central focus of that meeting was about tackling malnutrition among children in Anambra State.
“The revelations from UNICEF, alongside a valid will to make a difference, spurred us into action. Anambra State is known for her strong leadership presence in almost every national rating. Today, we are here to continue in that line of history, this time for a course that matters so much to humanity and that is nutrition.
“As an NGO that is basically self-funded, ‘Healthy Living with Nonye Soludo Initiative’ took up this challenge, knowing at the back of our minds that we can actually make a long-term difference with the little effort.
“Over the few years, statistics suggest that Anambra State has made substantial progress in addressing nutritional challenges and now performs better than the other states in the Southeast zone in these key areas. The state has also made significant progress in that regard over the past two years.”
She further explained that at the core of the crusade is the revered philosophy that healthy living is a primary option for human existence, adding that “healthy living is not just a choice”, but an inevitable option for a society that aims to move.
She said, “An unhealthy society is most likely to be unproductive and non-existent. The first on the ladder is Nutrition. Ladies and gentlemen, we are here today to launch ‘Nonye’s Healthy Living Pap’ and introduce this natural formula into the state’s mitigation programme for malnutrition.
“Nonye’s Healthy Living Pap is a pure natural meal that contains basic dietary nutrients to help children who are dealing with acute or minor malnutrition. The meal is made up of three special ingredients, namely: groundnut, corn, and soya beans, which are rich in carbohydrates, healthy fats, fibre, protein and zinc. The Pap also boasts nutritional benefits like vitamins B1, B2, B3, and iron.
“The idea behind this journey is to rescue our children with special nutritional needs. Ours is only a complementary step that supports existing strategic government policies. In the medium term, we want to move from our present second spot as the state with the lowest number of ‘Under-five mortality’ to the first position and maintain the spot for as long as it takes.
“We are very close. In driving a commitment that thinks inclusiveness, we want to ensure that our children are saved from the threats of diseases aggravated by poor nutrition. Aware of the prevalent protein deficiency among children in Nigeria caused by accessibility, availability and affordability of food items, including protein sources, we want to close the gap by providing all-round, effective intervention for homes and communities.”
Present at the event were women and community members from the 21 local government areas of the state as well as the Yoruba and Hausa community leaders.
The Women Leader of the Yoruba community and Muslim Women in Anambra, Hajia Khadijat Olahan, commended Nonye Soludo for the initiative, saying that it would help bridge the nutritional needs and maintain the healthy well-being of children.
Copyright PUNCH
All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express written permission from PUNCH.
Contact: [email protected]
