The West African Society of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (WASPEN) has identified malnutrition as a significant barrier to the swift recovery of patients in Nigeria. Dr. Teresa Pounds, President of WASPEN, made this known during a virtual press conference held ahead of the organization's fifth annual conference.
Dr. Pounds observed that malnutrition contributes to increased hospital readmission and mortality rates across the country. She urged the Federal Government to prioritize hospital malnutrition with the same urgency as community malnutrition. Despite Nigeria's abundant human and material resources, between 30 and 45 percent of patients admitted to tertiary hospitals are already malnourished at the point of admission, according to Pounds.
She described malnutrition as one of the most under-recognized threats to patient safety and recovery in Nigeria. Available evidence links poor nutrition to longer hospital stays, increased infections, and delayed wound healing. Pounds called on all levels of government to urgently address the situation, noting that malnutrition continues to elevate readmission and mortality rates in healthcare facilities nationwide.
“Malnutrition remains one of the most under-recognised threats to patient safety and recovery,” she said. “It affects patients across all stages of life, from premature newborns in neonatal intensive care units to children battling severe illnesses and adults living with chronic diseases such as HIV, tuberculosis, cancer, and surgical conditions.”
She added that evidence shows hospital malnutrition is associated with prolonged hospital stays, higher treatment costs, delayed recovery, and increased mortality. Pounds described hospital malnutrition as a “silent epidemic” in Nigeria and called on stakeholders to intensify efforts toward addressing the challenge.
This year’s conference will place special emphasis on neonatal and paediatric nutrition care, as newborns and children remain among the most vulnerable patients within the healthcare system. According to Pounds, the survival and long-term development of children heavily depend on timely and appropriate nutrition support.
The conference will feature hands-on workshops, community outreach activities, scientific presentations, policy discussions, and networking sessions aimed at improving nutrition care delivery. Dr. Pounds stated that the conference seeks to deliver actionable outcomes, including improved awareness of the role of clinical nutrition in patient safety and recovery, stronger multidisciplinary nutrition support systems in healthcare institutions, innovative approaches to neonatal and paediatric nutrition care, enhanced collaboration among government, healthcare institutions, and professional bodies, evidence-based recommendations to guide policy and clinical practice, and expanded access to safe and effective nutrition therapy.
Also speaking, the Chairman of the conference, Paul Enebel, said malnutrition continues to negatively affect patient outcomes across the healthcare system. He noted that poor nutrition slows recovery rates, prolongs hospital stays, worsens complications, and places significant financial pressure on both families and healthcare institutions.
