Health
World Nutrition Day: Kwara moves to boost household nutrition

- Launches statewide nutrition campaign
Stephen Olufemi Oni, Ilorin
Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has launched a statewide nutrition campaign, codenamed “Eat A Rainbow”, as part of activities marking the 2025 World Nutrition Day.
Designed by the State Ministry of Health led by the Commissioner, Dr. Amina Ahmed El-Imam, the Eat A Rainbow campaign is an innovative crusade of the administration to improve intakes of balanced diets across families.
The Governor called it a people-centred effort that reflects his administration’s commitment to improving the well-being of the people and build on its successes in the subsector.
“This campaign is more than just about fruits and vegetables. It is a call to action — a reminder that the choices we make today directly shape the future of our children, families, and communities,” the Governor said.
He was represented by the Commissioner for Finance, Dr. Hauwa Nuru.
“Daily consumption of diverse, colourful fruits and vegetables amounts to taking a strong stand against malnutrition, chronic diseases, and preventable illnesses,” he added.
AbdulRazaq said the “Eat a Rainbow” campaign is rooted in science and compassion that recognises that sustainable health lies in prevention, education, and empowerment.
Kwara First Lady Amb. Mrs Olufolake AbdulRazaq was represented by Commissioner for Special Duties Hon. John Bello.
Also in attendance were cabinet members; local government chairmen; heads of agencies such as Executive Secretary of the Primary Health Care Development Agency Prof. Nusirat Elelu and Executive Secretary of the Hospital Management Board Dr. Abdulraheem Malik; Emir of Shonga Dr Haliru Yahaya; Balogun Alanamu of Ilorin, Dr Abubakar Usman Jos; Balogun Fulani Alhaji Atiku Sidiq; and university lecturer and guest speaker of the day, Prof Fausat Kolawole; among others.
The First Lady commended the government for promoting healthy citizenry through various initiatives and right investments in the UNICEF Child Malnutrition Fund, among other nutrition supporting platforms.
She encouraged Kwarans to cultivate a habit of eating balanced diets to live a healthy life.
In an earlier address to unveil the campaign, Commissioner for Health, El-Imam, said the Eat a Rainbow campaign would reposition the nutrition of the people for good.
She said the state is committed to further reducing the percentage of children mapped for malnutrition, adding, however, that the efforts of the administration explain the downward slope of the malnutrition curve in Kwara State.
Between 2013 and 2019, UNICEF exited Kwara for lack of continuity in the payment of counterpart funds, El-Imam said, adding that this triggered malnutrition crisis in the state.
“It is verifiable in public records that our malnutrition indices started faltering cumulatively since this period. Specifically, the proportion of children suffering from wasting or who have low weights for their heights rose from 6.5% in 2013 to 7.3% in 2018. These were lost years in the nutrition journey for our mothers and children,” El-Imam said.
“Today, this figure is down to 6.1 % of under-5 children in Kwara state, meaning an estimated 50,744 children need immediate support from wasting, while the national figure is 8.0%. Even with better indices than the national average, we want to bring down the figure.”
The government realised that the wasting figure of 7.3% cited in the 2018 report was one that must be confronted head-on and directed the Ministry to tackle the multiple forms of malnutrition in the state, she said.
The Commissioner said such commitment has enabled the state to implement sustained, high-impact, and cost-effective interventions at both the health facility and community levels.
She said malnutrition is a nationwide problem, as exacerbated by security challenges, among other factors, pledging that the administration will continually mobilise resources to tackle malnutrition and put Kwara in a better standing in the area of malnutrition.
She added: “To improve the quality of nutrition service delivered in health facilities, the Ministry recently trained primary, secondary and tertiary health workers on Maternal Infant and Young Child Nutrition; and trained them on Growth Monitoring and Promotion.
“We also trained them on the administration of Multiple Micronutrient Powder to children; we also trained Emergency Management Agency officials and LGA staff on mainstreaming nutrition for improved response.
“To demonstrate the multisectoral interventions of this government in combating malnutrition, earlier this month, the Ministry of Health conducted the orientation of Agricultural extension workers on promoting food diversification and homestead gardening in the communities.
“Today, we are spreading the gospel all across the state with the new campaign tagged Eat a Rainbow. This has been in the works since last year.
“As we all know, balanced nutrition, which involves consuming the right proportions of carbohydrates, proteins, and other food classes, is essential to maintain health and prevent diseases. Together, food diversification and balanced nutrition form the pillars of a healthy population and a prosperous Kwara. This is what today’s Eat a Rainbow campaign hopes to achieve. The Eat a Rainbow campaign is about celebrating food diversity, enhancing dietary quality, and promoting community action.
“We are urging all Kwarans to embrace colourful, balanced diets. It doesn’t have to be expensive. Add groundnuts to your garri, mix moimoi with your pap, toss vegetables like efo tete and gbure into every meal.”
Prof. Kolawole said malnutrition remains a profound public health challenge in Nigeria, which she noted can manifest undernutrition, micronutrient deficiencies, and increasingly over nutrition.
She listed the shift from traditional foods to western style fast foods, urbanisation, food advertising, ignorance, and poverty as some of the causes of malnutrition in Nigeria, urging parents and other stakeholders to consume food with balanced diets.
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Health
Milestone; Kwara LG Declared Open Defecation Free by FG

Stephen Olufemi Oni, Ilorin
The Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation has officially declared Oke-Ero Local Government Area (LGA) in Kwara State as Open Defecation Free (ODF), following a comprehensive validation exercise conducted by the National Task Group on Sanitation (NTGS).
The validation exercise was carried out between 21st and 25th July, 2025 by the NTGS, during which Oke-Ero LGA was assessed in accordance with the revised national ODF protocol. Based on the findings, the LGA was found to have met all required indicators and was therefore approved for ODF status on 27th August, 2025.
The official communication of this development was conveyed to Mr. Olorunfemi Adewumi Oladipo, the General Manager of the Kwara State Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (RUWASSA), through a formal letter authored by the Director of Water Quality Control and Sanitation at the Federal Ministry; Mrs. Elizabeth Ugoh. The letter was issued on behalf of the Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation.
Mrs Elisabeth Ugoh, who congratulated the Kwara State Government and the people of Oke-Ero on achieving this national milestone, noted that sanitation is a continuous activity.
The correspondence described the achievement as a significant step forward in the national effort to eradicate open defecation and commended the sustained efforts of the local government, community leaders, stakeholders, and sanitation partners.
It would be recalled that the NTGS validation team conducted detailed assessments across households, institutions, and public spaces in Oke-Ero LGA, confirming the absence of open defecation and the presence of functional sanitation facilities, hygiene awareness, and sustained behavioural change, all of which are prerequisites under the national ODF criteria.
As part of the formal process, the Minister, Prof. Engr. Joseph Terlumun Utsev, is expected to communicate this achievement in writing to Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaqn, as, in line with established national protocol, the Governor is expected to host an official event to commemorate the ODF declaration of Oke-Ero LGA.
Reacting to the development, the Commissioner for Water Resources, Hon. Yinusa Lade, lauded the milestone as a testament to the state’s unwavering commitment to improving sanitation and public health. He commended the people of Oke-Ero for their resilience, cooperation, and ownership of the sanitation initiatives, which he described as critical to the sustainability of this achievement.
Hon. Lade, who reiterated the State government’s commitment to scaling up similar interventions across other LGAs, noted that with Oke-Ero setting the pace, the Ministry will intensify efforts to ensure that the entire State is declared Open Defecation Free well ahead of the national 2030 target.
Responding to the announcement, Mr. Oladipo expressed appreciation for the recognition, describing it as a reflection of collaborative effort across multiple levels of governance and community participation. Mr Olorunfemi Oladipo reaffirmed RUWASSA’s continued commitment to supporting other LGAs in the State to achieve similar results.
Mr Oladipo also urged local authorities and stakeholders in Oke-Ero to ensure the sustainability of this status, by adhering to the recommendations outlined in the validation report, which has been enclosed with the official communication.
This development positions Kwara State as one of the leaders in sanitation progress and contributes meaningfully to Nigeria’s broader objective of eliminating open defecation nationwide by 2030, in alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
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Health
Nigeria Records 43,000 Snakebite Annually, Experts Urge Local Anti venom Production

By Hassan Taiye
The Toxinological Society of Nigeria (TSN) has called on the federal and state governments to invest in local anti venom production and strengthen healthcare facilities to curb the rising burden of snakebite envenoming across the country.
This was contained in a communique issued by the Society’s Secretary-General, Dr. Mustapha Shehu Muhammad, at the end of its 2nd Annual General Meeting held between September 14 and 17 at Gombe State University.
The four-day conference, with the theme “Exploring Indigenous Anti-Venom Development and Therapy in Nigeria: Policies, Challenges and Opportunities,” attracted over 1,000 participants, including policymakers, clinicians, researchers, traditional leaders, and students.
Experts at the meeting disclosed that Nigeria records about 43,000 snakebite cases every year, leading to nearly 1,900 deaths, with children accounting for 30 percent of victims.
They identified delayed treatment, the high cost of anti venom, and inadequate facilities especially in rural areas as key factors worsening outcomes.
In his keynote address, Prof. Abdulrazak Habib stressed the urgent need for government and private sector collaboration in developing indigenous anti venom, warning that failure to act would worsen mortality rates and economic losses.
Delegates also visited the Snakebite Treatment and Research Hospital in Kaltungo, describing it as overstretched and in dire need of expansion.
The Society recommended establishing a National Centre of Excellence for Venom, Anti venom, and Natural Toxins Research in Gombe, and upgrading the Kaltungo hospital into a fully equipped National Snakebite Hospital with modern equipment, surveillance systems, and training capacity.
It further urged the Gombe State Government to dedicate at least one percent of its internal revenue to snakebite response, including free anti venom distribution, and to integrate snakebite research and training into the curriculum of Gombe State University.
Headlines
FG Strengthens Border Checks as Fresh Ebola Outbreak Spreads in DRC

By: Fabian Apechihin
The Federal Government has stepped up health surveillance at all entry points into Nigeria following the confirmation of new Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) cases in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Director of Port Health Services, Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Akpan Nse, announced on Friday that airports, seaports, and land borders are now under reinforced monitoring. Additional personnel, backed by the World Health Organisation (WHO), have been deployed nationwide, while thermal scanners at airports are being serviced in partnership with private firms to ensure continuous operation.
Health authorities in the DRC on September 5 confirmed an outbreak of the Ebola Zaire strain in Kasai Province, with 28 suspected cases and 16 deaths, including four health workers. The country, which has recorded 15 outbreaks since 1976, last battled the virus in 2022.
Dr. Nse warned that Nigeria remains at risk due to heavy travel links with the DRC. He said all passengers arriving from Congo or transiting through the country must undergo mandatory screening and complete health declaration forms.
“We have intensified surveillance at every point of entry,” he said. “All arrivals from Congo are screened—by air, land, or sea. We are on full alert to prevent importation of the virus into Nigeria.”
Ebola is a highly fatal disease transmitted through direct contact with the blood or bodily fluids of infected persons or animals, particularly fruit bats, which are considered natural carriers.
Want me to also add Nigeria’s 2014 Ebola response as context, to remind readers how the country previously contained the outbreak?
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