Advocates Urge Prioritisation Of Nutrition For Maternal, Newborn Health

Because the world marks World Well being Day 2025, Nigerian well being advocates have confused the pressing want to deal with poor diet amongst pregnant girls, a number one consider preventable maternal and new child deaths.

This 12 months’s theme, “Wholesome Beginnings, Hopeful Futures,” highlights the significance of early-life well being interventions. In Nigeria, consultants say many pregnancy-related issues, corresponding to hypertension, preeclampsia, and preterm births are linked to poor dietary habits, notably extreme sodium consumption.

Too many Nigerian girls are unknowingly consuming harmful ranges of sodium by way of on a regular basis merchandise like seasonings, bouillon cubes, and on the spot noodles. These hidden salts pose a severe threat to maternal and new child well being, stated Dr. Emmanuel Sokpo, Nation Director of the Community for Well being Fairness & Improvement.

Citing current analysis, Dr. Sokpo emphasised that top sodium consumption is a key contributor to life-threatening circumstances throughout being pregnant. He famous that whereas diet is a core part of Common Well being Protection (UHC), it stays an missed space in Nigeria’s maternal well being technique.The advocates are calling on the federal government to implement sturdy diet insurance policies, together with obligatory sodium discount targets and front-of-pack warning labels (FOPL) to assist customers make more healthy meals selections.

Clear labeling can save lives. We should empower girls with the data to guard themselves and their infants, Dr. Sokpo stated.

In a joint attraction, well being professionals, meals trade regulators, and authorities companies are urged to implement sodium discount insurance policies to mitigate diet-related dangers in being pregnant, mandate front-of-pack labeling to flag high-sodium meals, and launch public consciousness campaigns on the hazards of extreme salt consumption, particularly throughout being pregnant.