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As Covid-19 continues to rage the country, the disease has impacted negatively on the nutritional status of Nigerians, the Executive Secretary of Civil Society Scaling Up Nutrition in Nigeria (CS-SUNN), Mrs Beatrice Eluaka, has said.
Addressing a virtual media training Webinar on Covid-19 organised by Nutrition Society of Nigeria (NSN) on Wednesday, Eluaka said people with nutrition based diseases such as heart disease, severe obesity and diabetes are more susceptible to coronavirus and are more affected when inflicted by the disease.
“Heart disease, severe obesity, diabetes are more susceptible to Covid-19 and are more severely affected when inflicted by the disease. Covid-19 impacts negatively on the nutritional status of Nigerians through disruption of health and nutrition service.”
Speaking on the effect of the disease on nutrition in Nigeria, she said, “there are job and income losses leading to lack of resources to purchase quality food and basic necessities. Disruption in the local food supply chain leading to food shortage, a major driver of malnutrition”.
She however appealed for caution in applying supplements and herbal products against Covid-19, noting that despite the various advertisements, their efficacies were yet to be proved.
“There is no solid evidence that supplements can prevent or cure diseases caused by viruses such as Covid-19,” she said.
She tasked the media to embark on research and see reportage of the disease as developmental issues rather than science story.
“The media need to do research and update facts to keep to date with the outbreak. Media should go beyond reporting Covid-19 as a science story, it is now a general issue that affects all aspects of society. Avoid fake news that is not facts.”
