NNIA is part of the Nestlé Nutrition Institute, which offers educational services to healthcare professionals in 195 countries.
The theme of the training is “The first 1000 days of life: Early Nutrition and Long-term Health”.
Category Manager, Nestlé Nutrition, Rizwan Yousuf, speaking during the opening ceremony of the training noted that the company is committed to providing education programmes for good nutrition and feeding practices and help healthcare professionals to have a greater impact on the nutritional aspects of care of future.
According to him, “We are convinced that good maternal nutrition during pregnancy, followed by exclusive breastfeeding during the first six months, is the best method to ensure a good start in life. Children who receive good nutrition in their first 1000 days are ten times more likely to resist the most common life threatening childhood diseases; complete more than four more grades at school; earn 21 per cent more wages as adults; have happier and healthier families as adults and contribute positively to the economic growth of the nation.”
The International Course in Applied Nutrition (ICAN) is an initiative of the NNIA, designed for paramedics. It is part of the institution’s training programmes that target healthcare professionals and which aim to share resources, research and training on maternal and child nutrition based on the latest scientific data.
Also speaking at the event, Commissioner for Health, Ogun State, Dr. Olaokun Soyinka, said that Ogun State government has placed high priority on the nutrition of the vulnerable group by supporting nutrition intervention programmes like the maternal newborn and child health week, the infant and young child feeding among others.
