Headline

Malnutrition: Nigeria Ranked First In Africa, Second Worldwide

Published

9 months ago

October 14, 2024

The United Nations Children’s Fund said Nigeria ranks first in Africa and second worldwide in the number of malnourished children.

The Chief of Nutrition for UNICEF Nigeria, Nemat Hajeebhoy, said this on Monday at the ongoing three-day collaborative meeting between the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency, and the state nutrition managers.

Hajeebhoy said, “When we look at Nigeria, we see that in Nigeria, we have between 35 and 45 million children under five years of age. Now, when we look at children and we say they are malnourished, if they’re not doing well, we say they are malnourished, and you have different types of malnutrition. You have about 12 million children who we say are stunted, which means they are short in terms of their height for their age.

“We have about nine million children who are wasted, which means they’re too thin for their height, and then we have about 24-25 million children who are anaemic, which means they do not have enough iron, or their blood is not healthy. So, with these numbers, Nigeria is number one in the continent and second in the world, after India. So in Nigeria, we need to all come together to address this issue, because if we address the issue in Nigeria, we address it for West Africa, we address it for the continent.”

She, however, said 43 million Nigerian children have received vitamin A supplements.

“During the maternal, newborn, child health week campaigns that were held in all the states of the country in May, June, July and August to deliver vitamin A supplementation, deworming tablets to children under five, iron, folic acid or multiple micronutrient supplements to pregnant women, I’m delighted to share that 43 million children receive vitamin A supplements this time. This is the first time in Nigeria we have had such a high number.

“We also see that all 36 states unlocked resources to get deworming tablets given to children. And 19 million children were reached with deworming tablets. We also see that over two million pregnant women receive supplements of either iron and folic acid or a multiple micronutrient tablet, and this is very important to enable them to be healthy and for the growth of their children.

“What I am hopeful for is that the next round of MNC week which will happen between mid-November and mid-December, that we can have the support from the states, mothers, fathers, grandparents, so that we can reach the same numbers in the second round. If we achieve this, then we will have achieved results for Nigeria, for West Africa, for the continent and the world,” she added.

Meanwhile, the Director and Head of the Nutrition Department, FMoHSW, Ladidi Bako-Aiyegbusi, noted that efforts are being made by the Federal Government to check the progress made and prioritise activities that will improve nutrition in the country.

She said, “Nigeria has the highest burden in Africa and the second highest in the world but the government is collaborating with other stakeholders to change that narrative, and we have put in place quite several strategies.

“We have the coordination team through which we interact with stakeholders every quarter to find out what everyone is doing, and the challenges. We are also ensuring that this coordination that is being strengthened at the federal level, it’s also being strengthened at the state level.”

She added that the government was also building the capacity of providers and has trained over 2,000 master trainers on maternal infant and young child feeding practices.

“Right now, the Federal Government is supporting the states to plan for the training of the secondary facility providers on maternal and infant and young child feeding practices.

“What we need to see for nutrition is to leverage that momentum and make sure that every child is well nourished, especially during the first 1000 days of life.

“All stakeholders need to come together and invest in that age, because if we don’t, then we compromise the child for life,” she stated.

The Deputy Director, Nutrition, NPHCDA, Dr Ogechi Akalonu noted that there is a need for strategies for improving the nutritional status in the country.

She said, “It is a good meeting to ensure that nutrition is visible and top of the national agenda.

“So we need to come together to strategise on how best to improve the nutritional status of women and children.”

On his part, the Country Director, Nutrition International, Dr Osita Okonkwo

emphasised the need to increase funding to ensure the implementation of the Maternal, Newborn and Child Health campaigns.

Okonkwo, who was represented by the Programme Officer, Child Health and Nutrition, Junaidu Sani reiterated the organisation’s commitment to supporting the government in the implementation of the MNCH.

Headline

19 Dead As Bangladesh Fighter Jet Crashes Into School

Published

1 day ago

July 21, 2025

Editor

A Bangladeshi training fighter jet crashed into a school in the capital Dhaka on Monday, killing at least 19 people and injuring dozens more in the country’s deadliest aviation accident in decades.

An AFP photographer at the scene saw fire and rescue officials taking away the injured students on stretchers, while military personnel helped clear the wreckage.

A military statement said 19 people were killed, including the pilot, and 20 others were critically wounded.

At least 51 people, mostly students, were undergoing treatment at Dhaka’s National Burn and Plastic Surgery Institute, its director Mohammad Nasir Uddin told AFP.

The Chinese-made F-7 BJI aircraft crashed moments after students were let out of class at 1:00 pm (0700 GMT) at the Milestone School and College.

A witness said he heard a huge blast that felt like an earthquake.

“We have two playgrounds, one for the senior students and one for the juniors,” said Shafiur Rahman Shafi, 18, who is enrolled at the school.

“We were on the playground for the seniors. There were two fighter planes… Suddenly one of the two planes crashed here (in the junior playground),” he told AFP.

“It created a boom, and it felt like a quake. Then it caught fire, and the army reached the spot later.”

The interim government of Muhammad Yunus announced a day of national mourning on Tuesday.

Grieving parents and relatives of the victims thronged the National Burn and Plastic Surgery Institute.

Tofazzal Hossain, 30, broke down in tears on learning that his young cousin had been killed.

“We frantically searched for my cousin in different hospitals,” Hossain told AFP.

“He was an eighth grader at the school. Finally, we found his body.”

Yunus expressed “deep grief and sorrow” over the incident in a post on X.

“The loss suffered by the Air Force, the students, parents, teachers, and staff of Milestone School and College, as well as others affected by this accident, is irreparable,” he said.

“This is a moment of profound pain for the nation.”

The crash was the worst aviation accident in the country in several decades.

The deadliest ever disaster happened in 1984 when a plane flying from Chattogram to Dhaka crashed, killing all 49 on board.

Last month, a commercial aircraft crashed in neighbouring India, killing 260 people.

Headline

S’African President Sacks Education Minister Accused Of Lying To Parliament

Published

1 day ago

July 21, 2025

Editor

South Africa’s President, Cyril Ramaphosa, on Monday dismissed his embattled higher education minister, weeks after a key party in his unity government filed criminal charges accusing her of lying to parliament.

Ramaphosa has faced mounting pressure in recent months as several ministers from his African National Congress (ANC) party have been accused of corruption, deepening tensions within the 10-party ruling coalition.

The second largest group in government, the Democratic Alliance (DA), earlier this month filed a complaint accusing Minister Nobuhle Nkabane of lying to parliament to cover up the “fraudulent” appointment of ANC-linked figures to education authority boards.

“President Cyril Ramaphosa has removed Dr Nobuhle Nkabane from the role of Minister and (sic) Higher Education and Training,” the presidency announced in a statement Monday night, after Nkabane failed to attend key parliamentary meetings where she was meant to clarify the controversial appointments.

The DA — which joined government after the ANC lost its majority last year due to voter disillusionment with corruption and mismanagement — has said graft had become “standard practice” under Ramaphosa’s rule.

It has also laid corruption charges against Human Settlements Minister Thembi Simelane over allegations of fraudulent billing to the national electricity supplier Eskom.

Ramaphosa also had to suspend his police minister on July 13, after bombshell accusations by a provincial police chief who alleged he had received payments from a corruption suspect and colluded with organised crime.

South Africa ranks 82nd in the world according to the corruption perception index of the NGO Transparency International.

AFP

Headline

Russia Strikes Ukraine After Kyiv Offers Fresh Talks

Published

2 days ago

July 21, 2025

Editor

Russia fired a volley of drones and missiles at Ukraine early on Monday, hitting apartment blocks and a nursery in Kyiv, days after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky proposed holding a fresh round of peace talks.

Moscow has not responded to Zelensky’s call for new negotiations this week or an ultimatum by US President Donald Trump to make progress on a peace deal or face massive sanctions.

Two people were killed across the country, Zelensky said.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot arrived in the capital, Kyiv, while rescuers were still sifting through the rubble.

Zelensky condemned the strikes as an “assault on humanity” and said at least 15 other people had been wounded in the attacks, including a 12-year-old boy.

Efforts to reach a diplomatic solution to the three-year war have stalled in recent weeks.

The two sides last met for direct negotiations more than a month ago in Istanbul.

They did not make any progress towards a ceasefire, instead agreeing to a series of prisoner exchanges.

Six districts of Kyiv came under attack on Monday, sparking fires at a supermarket, multiple residential buildings and a nursery, authorities said.

An AFP reporter saw damage to multiple buildings, as well as debris and shattered glass on streets.

Russia launched 450 drones and missiles in total, according to Ukraine’s air force.

The strikes also caused damage in the western region of Ivano-Frankivsk and the eastern regions of Kharkiv and Sumy, according to Zelensky.

Meanwhile, travel chaos that began during the weekend continued in Russia, as Kyiv targeted Moscow with drones;

The attacks forced Vnukovo airport — a transport hub for the Russian government — to briefly suspend flights.

•⁠ ⁠Top French diplomat in Kyiv –

An entryway to the Lukyanivka metro station in Kyiv was also damaged by the overnight strikes.

French foreign minister Barrot condemned the attacks during a visit to the station.

“The shelters themselves are no longer entirely safe, as the metro station behind me, which is being used as a shelter for the people of Kyiv, has been targeted,” he said.

“This comes even as President Zelensky’s statement on Saturday morning, that showed Ukraine’s willingness to enter into new negotiations with Russia,” he added.

The European Union agreed on Friday an 18th package of sanctions on Moscow that targeted Russian banks and lowered a price cap on oil exports.

Barrot said the sanctions were aimed at increasing the cost of war for Russia to pressure President Vladimir Putin into negotiations.

The Kremlin said this month it was ready to continue talks with Ukraine after Trump gave Russia 50 days to strike a peace deal or face sanctions.

At talks last month, Russia outlined a list of demands, including calls for Ukraine to cede more territory and to reject all forms of Western military support.

Kyiv dismissed them as unacceptable and at the time questioned the point of further negotiations if Moscow was not willing to make concessions.

AFP