OUR COMMITMENT IS YOUR HEALTH

YOUR HEALTH IS IMPORTANT TO US.

Nestle MD and CEO, Mr Dharnesh Gordhon.

Transparency and commitment has been our driving force ever since Nestle came into existence in the competitive market of food industry.

This were the words of the Managing Director and Chief Executive of Nestle Nigeria, Mr Dharnesh Gordhon at the just concluded (third edition) of Creating Shared Valued Media Workshop, Ilupeju, Oshodi.

Mr, Gordhon noted that creating shared value begins with the creation of superior long-term value for both shareholders and society by offering products and services that will help people to improve their nutritional health and wellness. In addition to nutrition, we focus on water, because water scarcity is a very serious issue in many parts of the world and water is the assurance towards securing food security. Also on the part of the company we focus on rural development, the overall well-being of farmers, rural communities, and small entrepreneurs and of cause suppliers are essential to the long-term success of Nestle’s business.

Furthermore, the commitments also demonstrate intent and allow stakeholders to hold them accountable and offering them guidance.

In line with their commitment we combine business and social value creation into an integrated strategy in emerging area of management practice.

Picture; Dr Chris Isokpunwu standing and other guest at the seminer.

Nestle Managing Director, however declared the media workshop open, as my issues were disclosed to all the participant, first among the speaker is the Honourable Minister of Health, ably represented by Dr, Chris Isokpunwu, Head of Nutrition, and Federal Ministry of Health. Here is what he disclosed to us all.

Dr Chris hinted the audience that malnutrition and nutrition related diseases the major problems of public health in Nigeria, which slows economic growth and perpetuates poverty through direct losses in productivity from poor physical status; indirect losses from poor cognitive function and deficits in schooling; and losses owing to increased health care costs.

’’Nigeria is one of the 36 countries in the world that account for 90% of the world burden of Malnutrition’’.

NUTRITIONAL INDICES IN NIGERIA (1990-2013)

	1990	1999	2003	2008	2013
STUNTING	43%	46%	42%	41%	37%
WASTING	9%	12%	11%	14%	18%
UNDERWEIGHT	36%	27%	24%	23%	29%
EBF	2%	22%	17%	13%	17%

Note, EBF, means Effective Breast Feeding of a baby.

Dr, Chris also spoke on micronutrients, saying that it’s the vitamins and minerals our body needs most, or only in insufficient amounts, which are required in small quantities to ensure normal metabolism, growth and physical well‐being.

Micronutrients of Public Health Importance include:

Vitamin A, Iron, Folic Acid, Iodine, and Zinc Micronutrient malnutrition contributes substantially to the global burden of disease. Worldwide, the three most common forms of MNM are iron, vitamin A and iodine deficiency.

Risk factors for micronutrient malnutrition

 Monotonous diet resulting in low micronutrient intake, and poor bioavailability, especially of minerals.

 Low intake of animal source foods.

 Low prevalence of breastfeeding.

 Low micronutrient density of complementary foods.

 Increased physiological demands for growth during pregnancy and lactation.

 Increased demand due to acute infection (especially if infection episodes are frequent),

chronic infection (e.g. tuberculosis, malaria and HIV/AIDS) and disease (e.g.

cancer)

 Poor general nutritional status, in particular, protein–energy malnutrition.

Malabsorption due to diarrhoea or the presence of intestinal parasites (e.g.hookworms).

Seasonal variations in food availability, food shortages.

Social deprivation, illiteracy, low education.

Poor economic status and poverty.

Dr, Chris finally noted that in reducing malnutrition the following measures should be in place for consideration.

Mobilizing Stakeholders around the Plan

Urgent Need to conduct the National Food Consumption and Nutrition Survey

Establishment of a Central Data Base for Nutrition in Nigeria

Strengthening Coordination across sectors and within sectors

Building Capacity of personnel at various levels and sectors on service delivery, monitoring and data collection

Strengthening Monitoring and supervision of implementation.

Story and pictures by; Gbemile Oluwatosin.