The Nutrition Society of Nigeria (NSN) has urged the federal and state governments to stabilize the supply of food and regulate their prices to cushion effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Society said that, to achieve this, the government should release stocks from grain reserves, grant tax relief on food items and scale-up support for smallholder farmers.

A statement issued by Dr. Bartholomew I. C. Brai, NSN president, also recommended the expansion of the federal government’s school feeding programme and the use of community structures to reach the beneficiaries. NSN said that with the pandemic mopping up financial resources, stakeholders should work together to effectively “promote adequate nutrition during the pandemic, and reduce post-COVID-19 burden and severity of malnutrition. Currently,  there is no evidence of transmission of the coronavirus through breastfeeding. The Society hereby reiterates that breast milk alone remains the safest and most nutritious meal for infants aged 0-6 months. Therefore, exclusive and continued breastfeeding up to the age of 24 months should be sustained.

“School-age children, especially those in public schools, who benefit from existing school feeding programmes, may be particularly disadvantaged. Parents are hereby advised to provide an extra meal per day for these children where they are capable. Appropriate diet and lifestyle measures are important to sustain body immunity and promote health and well-being. In the case of food price hikes, individuals could select alternative foods to replace usual food items.

“Nutrition support is a component of health care and should be included in the management of COVID-19 patients with attention on energy, protein and fluid balance maintenance.” Cable News