The Civil Society - Scaling Up Nutrition in Nigeria (CS-SUNN) has called on the Oyo State Government to allocate a dedicated budget code for nutrition in the state's health budget.
During a visit to the office of the Director of Public Health, Dr. Babatunde Akintunde, on Tuesday, the Oyo State Coordinator of CS-SUNN, Mr. Adio Olusegun, highlighted this concerning nutrition situation in the state.
According to Adio, the stunting rate among children under five in Oyo State can increase due to economic hardship in the country even though a lot of nutrition intervention had been carried out in Oyo State.
To address this, Adio urged the state government to revive the moribund Oni & Son nutrition unit and increase funding for nutrition by allocating a dedicated budget code within the health budget.
Adio explained that CS-SUNN is a non-profit coalition of organizations working to transform Nigeria into a country where every citizen has food and is nutrition-secure. "The organization has conducted advocacy campaigns that have led to increased government commitment and funding for nutrition, as well as the extension of maternity leave and the promotion of multi-sectoral nutrition partnerships", Adio added.
In response, Dr. Babatunde Akintunde, the Director of Public Health, commended CS-SUNN's efforts in promoting healthcare services, particularly in the area of nutrition. He acknowledged the importance of nutrition, especially during pregnancy, as it determines the healthy growth of the baby.
Dr. Akintunde promised to relay the organization's message to the Commissioner for Health, who has a keen interest in promoting healthcare services, especially for children.