History was made on 19th and 20th September, 2023 as the Rivers State Primary Health Care Management Board had the privilege of hosting the State Committee on Food and Nutrition. The Executive Secretary Dr Kinikanwo Green declared Boards’ readiness to regularly support funding of State Committee on Food and Nutrition coordination meetings to ensure effective nutrition road map in the state. He opined that hosting of the meeting which has not held for about a year was important because it is part of the deliverable of the leadership challenge grant the Board won. During the two day coordination meeting held at the Rivers State Primary Health Care Management Board Conference hall, Port Harcourt the Executive Secretary represented by Dr. Joy-Tonye Wihioka, Director of Community Health Services, also applauded the State Committee on Food and Nutrition and Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning for their commitment and action in their work towards improving the states’ food and nutrition situation and ultimately public health intervention. She said the work done so far has been impressive and recognized by the Nigerian Governors Forum and the United Nations International Children’s Fund (UNICEF). She charged the committee not to relent until they come up with a policy document as our health sector needs improvement with leadership and policy. Dr Wihioka added that: everyone should endeavour to actualize what is needed in the food and nutrition space. Finally, She encouraged the Committee to continue the good work to develop a working policy document and for better health indices of the state.
Consequently, Mrs. Blessing L. Idaminabo, the Chairman of SCFN and Acting Permanent Secretary/Director of Budget (Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning) commended members of SCFN for being outstanding in their responsibilities. Furthermore, the Director of Planning and Implementation of the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, Mrs. Imaoyani Ephraim-George outlined the meeting objectives which are; to review food and nutrition activities in the 1st and 2nd quarters 2023, address key issues that pose potential challenges to the implementation of activities in the state. And to also review the State Policy on Food and Nutrition. Update the strategic plans of action for food and nutrition 2024-2028, and finally plan the next step towards mainstreaming nutrition into state developmental plans.
The state nutrition situation presented by the Secretary of SCFN/State Nutrition Officer Mr. Buduzhi Gift Oguzor called for concerted efforts from line MDAs in updating the RIVSSPAN outlined programmes towards reducing malnutrition indicators. While Prof. Alice Nte from the University of Port Harcourt who was represented by Dr. Nneka Gabriel-Job a consultant pediatrician in her presentation on the overview of the state policy on food and nutrition “Stressed that the Rivers State Government has initiated proactive, social and economic transformational activities that are expected to contribute to the improvement of the citizens standard of Nutrition and Health. These actions when implemented will lead to a reduction in the level of poverty social exclusion and malnutrition in the state.
Stakeholders in the meeting were drawn from Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Budget and Economic planning, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Health, and Ministry for Local Government and chieftaincy Affairs, Ministry of Women Affairs, Rivers State Primary Healthcare Management Board, State Universal Primary Education Board, Social Intervention-Home Grown School Feeding Programme, Ministry of Special Duties-{SEMA}, Ministry of Social Welfare & Rehabilitation, Min. of Information, Min. of Justice, Min of Water Resources &Rural Development, Academia, Professional Bodies, Civil Society Organization, Media, and NGOs.
