By Our Correspondent
Children do not choose how they begin life. For many newborns, the first 1,000 days—from conception to a child’s second birthday—can determine whether they grow into healthy, productive adults or struggle with the lifelong effects of malnutrition.
That reality brought government officials, health experts and development partners together in Yenagoa on Tuesday with one shared mission: ensuring that no Bayelsa child is denied a healthy start because of poor nutrition.
At the inception meeting for a new grant-funded nutrition intervention supported by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in partnership with UNICEF, stakeholders were reminded that preventing child malnutrition is not solely the responsibility of hospitals but of families, communities, governments and development partners working together.
Representing the Bayelsa State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Seiyefa Brisibe, the Executive Secretary of the Bayelsa State Primary Health Care Management Board, Dr. Williams Appah, described the programme as a timely intervention capable of transforming the lives of children across the state.
He noted that the first 1,000 days of life represent a critical window when proper nutrition has the greatest impact on a child’s physical growth, brain development and future potential.
“In health care, everyone is a critical stakeholder because it resonates with all of us. We must ensure that we pull every child out of malnutrition,” Dr. Appah said.
For many families in Bayelsa’s riverine communities, where access to nutritious food and quality healthcare can be challenging, such interventions offer renewed hope that more children will celebrate healthy birthdays rather than battle preventable illnesses linked to poor nutrition.
The new project will initially be implemented in four local government areas, focusing on preventing malnutrition during early childhood through improved healthcare services, nutrition education and stronger support systems for mothers and caregivers.
Dr. Appah expressed gratitude to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and UNICEF for funding the initiative and appealed for its expansion to the remaining four local government areas to ensure that children across the state benefit equally.
He also urged stakeholders to intensify community awareness on maternal, infant and young child nutrition, stressing that informed parents are better equipped to make decisions that improve their children’s health.
Speaking at the event, UNICEF Chief of Field Office, Lady Celine Lafoucriere, said the intervention goes beyond providing nutrition support, explaining that it seeks to strengthen Bayelsa’s health system, food system and social protection programmes.
According to her, the vision is simple but profound: every child deserves not just to survive but to thrive.
“We are here to launch this project to give every child born in the state not just the chance to survive but to thrive, ensuring that children are healthier and better nourished,” she said.
She praised the Bayelsa State Government, the Bayelsa State Primary Health Care Management Board and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for investing in the future of the state’s children.
Earlier, the Director of Nutrition, Mrs. Rose Okpara, highlighted the importance of collaboration among all partners, noting that sustained coordination would determine the success of the programme.
As discussions continued inside the meeting hall, the focus remained on the children whose voices were absent but whose futures depended on the decisions being made.
For a pregnant mother in a remote riverine settlement, the programme could mean receiving nutrition counselling that helps her deliver a healthier baby. For an infant, it could mean access to exclusive breastfeeding support and nutritious complementary feeding. For Bayelsa, it represents another step toward reducing childhood malnutrition and giving every child the opportunity to grow, learn and reach their full potential.
In the end, stakeholders agreed that protecting the first 1,000 days of life is more than a health intervention—it is an investment in the future of Bayelsa State, one child at a time.
