Mirian Gom 
ABUJA, Nigeria – The National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has sounded the alarm that more than one in three Nigerian children under five suffer malnutrition, warning the crisis is now “a critical public health emergency” threatening survival and national development.
In a post on X, NARD disclosed that over 35% of children under five are malnourished, stressing the condition worsens child mortality, cognitive impairment, and disease vulnerability.
“Malnutrition contributes significantly to child mortality. It also impacts cognitive development, disease susceptibility, and national productivity,” the doctors’ association said.
The group outlined ongoing interventions including Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) distribution, community-based management of acute malnutrition (CMAM), and Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF) counselling. “NARD members are at the forefront of implementing and researching malnutrition interventions across Nigeria,” it added.
The Federal Government has already labelled malnutrition a “national emergency,” citing annual losses of more than $1.5 billion. Vice President Kashim Shettima recently warned that nearly 40% of Nigerian children are deprived of hunger, calling it “a national crisis.”
International aid agencies also raise alarm. Doctors Without Borders (MSF) reported that over 600 malnourished children died in northern Nigeria within six months, with severe cases rising by 208% between January and June.
Experts blame soaring living costs, declining aid, and insecurity for worsening the crisis. NARD is urging urgent, sustained investment in nutrition programmes to save lives.
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Hussaini Ibrahim 
