The Nigerian Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ) Lagos State Chapter in collaboration with FH1360/Alive and Thrive project hosted an interactive media round table aimed at promoting maternal, infant and young child nutrition, with an intervention of reducing the total number of anemia and all deficiencies related to mother and child.
Chairman National Union Journalist (NUJ), Lagos State, Adeleye Ajayi commended the initiative, noted that it is relevant and aimed at capacity building for the media, urged journalists to make use of the crucial information withdrawn from women in the rural area in Lagos State.
Chairperson, NAWOJ, Lagos state, Adeola Ekine said the initiative is focused on improved reporting of maternal nutrition coverage in journalism.
She added that the annual event provides insight about illnesses affecting children and mothers and their possible solutions
The Lagos State team lead, Alive and Thrive, Olawunmi Ajayi spoke extensively on Maternal, Infant and young child nutrition, (MIYCN)noting that Nigeria loses about 2313 children daily translating to 844,321, children death annually, half of which are due to malnutrition.
“You don’t have to spend a lot on trying to impress people about your feeding habit you just have to make sure you are providing and feeding a well-balanced diet
Olawunmi also advised breastfeeding mothers on six months of exclusive breastfeeding and that 13 per cent of childbirth would be averted if 90 per cent of mothers exclusively breastfeed their child, noted that the first 1,000 days from the start of a woman’s pregnancy to a child’s second birthday offers an extraordinary window of opportunity for preventing undernutrition and its consequences.
Assistant Chairperson NAWOJ, Bunni Yekini also encouraged journalists not to be discouraged when they are turned down by the government regarding data collation.
She suggested that data collation on special projects can be acquired from several experts in the field and other credible sources and not government workers.
