By Jimitota Onoyume

PORT HARCOURT—United Nations Children’s Fund,  UNICEF,  has expressed worries over the increasing state of malnutrition among children in Nigeria, saying at the moment,  11 million  of them are suffering from stunted growth.

Speaking at a one-day awareness creation workshop,  yesterday, in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on the theme Investing in maternal and child nutrition, UNICEF Chief  Field Office, Mr Wilbroad Ngambi,  said 22 per cent of children were stunted in the state, adding that the nation loses about 2,300 under five years old and 145 women of child bearing age in the country daily.

Professor Nte Alice, in his remarks, said concerted effort should be made to achieve at least 30 per cent in child nutrition in the country, adding that government should allocate more  resources in the fight against the challenge, which she described as  epidemic.

Prof Nte further enjoined government to show more commitment in the fight, adding that it should also allocate more resources to it.

Former  Chairman, Nigeria Union of Journalists in old Rivers State, Mr Paulinus Nsirim, in his presentation, called  on the media to raise more consciousness on nutrition challenges.