By Kazeem Akolawole
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Nutrition Specialist, Ada Ezeugo has submitted that adverse effects of malnutrition cannot only affect individuals if not checked but has the tendency to erode Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of a nation .
Against this backdrop according Ezeugo informed the need to ensure healthy of individual citizens of a country early enough starting from the first 1000 days as a child in order to promote economic growth other than wasting resources in treatment of diseases.
“A brighter future of a country begins in the investment in the 1000 days of a child. Evidence has shown that the right nutrition during 1000 days window can save more than one million lives in a year, significantly reduce the human and economic burden of tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS, malaria, and equally reduce the risk of developing various non communicable diseases, diabetes and other chronic conditions later in life, improve on individuals educational achievement and earning potential and increase a country’s GDP annually”, she assured.
Speaking at an ongoing two day National Orientation Agency (NOA) in collaboration with UNICEF advocacy meeting with the media on the first 1000 days of a child in Lagos, Ezeugo emphasised on the need to adhere to proper nutrition within these 1000 days.
‘First 1,000 days’ for a child is a crucial time because it is the period of the rapid growth of body and brain and so a woman’s nutrition during pregnancy and breastfeeding and baby’s nutrition in the first two years is extremely important for a healthy future”, she said.
According to UNICEF, the first 1,000 days of life – the time spanning between conception and a baby’s second birthday – is a unique period of opportunity when the foundations of optimum health, growth, and neurodevelopment across the lifespan are established.
This is the time period when maternal and child nutrition and health can determine the child’s ability to grow. Experts say that poor nutrition in the first 1,000 days cause irreversible damage to a child’s growing brain and body.
Earlier in her presentation at the event, UNICEF Behavioural Change Specialist, Mrs Aderonke Akiola-Adewale said 1000 days presents the first window of opportunity to invest in the child’s chance to survive, be healthy, learn and thrive and forms the basis for a child’s intelligence and personality as it is a sensitive period for brain and social development.
Other benefits of investing in 1000 days of a child according to her include promotion of massive body growth, preventing stunting which can start from the womb, promotion of the ability of a child to be productive in future thereby contributing positively to the society is formed at this stage as his cognitive ability gets develop.
Speaking further, she stated that every child stands the chance to survive and develop into an healthy and productive adult if given a great start in life adding that the great start for a child begins from the day the child is conceived in the womb, delivered and cared for in a clean and protected manner.
She assured that the first 1000 days is a passport to a heathy and brighter future for every child if promoted behaviors are strictly and intentionally adhered to.
In his welcome remarks the Director, NOA, Lagos Directorate, Mr. Waheed Ishola, called on media organisations to assist in enlightening the publics on the benefits of promoting nutrition starting from the first 1000 days of a child.
He urged to them never to relevant in educating the public on the need to obtain Covid-19 vaccines.
He noted that not much would be achieved without media support in driving discussions around the first 1000.
