Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation reports that fortifying bouillon cubes in Nigeria with iron, folic acid, zinc, and vitamin B12 could prevent up to 16,6 million cases of anemia and save 11,000 children from neural tube defect-related deaths by 2050. The foundation calls on world leaders to increase investments in global health, focusing on child nutrition and well-being amid the growing climate crisis.
The World Health Organization estimates that 148 million children are stunted, while 45 million are affected by wasting, both of which severely hinder physical and cognitive development. Nigeria faces the highest levels of food insecurity and malnutrition globally, with 31.8 million people experiencing acute food shortages. Conflict, natural disasters like floods, climate change, and rising food prices are intensifying the crisis, putting millions at risk of severe food insecurity, especially children and the elderly.
Chioma Chukwuka Akpotha, the newly appointed Goodwill Ambassador for Nutrition in Nigeria, aims to use her platform to amplify the message about malnutrition, which is a critical issue in the country.
