Ex-Minister Seeks End To Hidden Hunger Syndrome

Former Minister of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu has stressed the need for relevant authorities to urgently address hidden hunger syndrome, which he said, was prevalent in the country.
Chukwu made the call while delivering a lecture titled “Food Security and Hidden Hunger,’’ at an event organised by the Faculty of Agriculture, Federal University, Ndufu-Alike, Ikwo (FUNAI) in Ebonyi State.
The former minister, who defined hidden hunger as the state of micronutrient deficiency in individuals, said the syndrome was a major public health problem in developing countries, including Nigeria.
“Individuals who eat adequate quantities of foods such as rice, cassava and maize, which are rich in macronutrients, are ordinarily not regarded as suffering from hunger.
“But, they are still prone to illnesses due to a deficiency of micronutrients.
“Inadequate quantity of food is the cause of hunger and starvation resulting in protein-calorie malnutrition, stunting and wasting.
“The intake of too little of micronutrients results in diseases such as night blindness (vitamin A deficiency), and goitre (iodine deficiency).
“Micronutrients on the other hand, are required only in small quantities and they include vitamins and the trace-minerals such as zinc, selenium, manganese, cobalt, iodine, fluorine, iron and copper,” he said.
To check hidden hunger and other malnutrition-related issues in the country, Chukwu recommended that relevant authorities should improve food security, through programmes and projects in the agricultural and non-agricultural sectors.
“Stakeholders should control micronutrients deficiency and anaemia through a strategy comprising vitamin and mineral supplementation, food fortification and dietary diversification.
“They should eliminate iodine deficiency disorder through salt iodisation programmes and institutionalise general consumer protection measures, to safeguard food quality and consumer health,” he added.
Also, Prof. Ndowa Lale, Vice Chancellor, University of Port Harcourt, described hidden hunger as the consequences of inadequate consumption of nutritious food.
According to him, it is with the realisation that the physiological use of food is within the domain of nutrition and health.
“Food security is sufficient but not necessary for freedom from hunger but neither necessary nor sufficient for adequate nutrition.
“Malnutrition can reflect insufficient intake and absorption of micronutrients, even if protein and energy intake is satisfactory,” he said.
The vice chancellor said that a food secured situation existed when the demand was balanced with the supply.
He said that there was low agricultural productivity in the country and expected yields from crops, soils, rivers, lakes, livestock and forests were far below potentials.
Prof. Chinedum Nwajiuba, Vice Chancellor, FUNAI, said the agriculture faculty of the institution had been designed to produce graduates equipped to be entrepreneurs and not those to be only theoretically inclined.
According to him, the current economic situation in the country shows that agriculture is imperative for economic sustenance.
Nwajiuba expressed optimism that the products of the institution would help the country achieve economic sustenance.
Mrs Mabel Chukwunweike, a participant in the programme, commended the organisers of the event, saying that the knowledge acquired would help enrich her family’s nutritional intake.
Reports that different stakeholders in the agriculture and health sectors made contributions during the programme.
The faculty also used the occasion to outline its programmes aimed at ensuring food sustenance in the country.