Malnutrition hindering patient recovery in Nigeria – WASPEN

The West African Society of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition, WASPEN, has declared that malnutrition remains the major obstacle hindering quick recovery of patients in Nigeria.

WASPEN President, Dr. Teresa Pounds, stated this during a virtual press conference to herald the 5th annual conference of the organisation on Monday.

Pounds explained that malnutrition is the most unrecognised threat to patient safety and recovery in Nigeria.

She lamented that despite the huge human and material resources in Nigeria, 30-45 per cent of patients in tertiary hospitals are malnourished on admission.

Pounds also disclosed that available evidence shows that malnutrition is associated with longer hospital stays and increased infections.

While calling on governments at all levels to rise up and do the needful, Pounds regretted that malnutrition has increased readmission and mortality rates in the country.

Describing malnutrition as a silent epidemic in Nigeria, she called on stakeholders to do whatever they could to address the problem.

Pounds said, “Malnutrition remains one of the most under-recognized threats to patient safety and recovery.

“It affects patients across all stages of life from premature newborns in neonatal intensive care units, to children battling severe illness, to adults living with chronic diseases such as HIV, tuberculosis, cancer, and surgical conditions.

“Evidence shows that hospital malnutrition is associated with longer hospital stays, increased infections, delayed wound healing, higher treatment costs, and increased readmission and mortality rates.

“Hospital malnutrition is a silent epidemic in Nigeria. 30-45% of patients in tertiary hospitals are malnourished on admission.”