The West African Society of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (WASPEN) has urged the Federal Government to establish a multi-sectoral national task force to address hospital malnutrition.

WASPEN founder and President, Dr Teresa Pounds, made this appeal during a virtual press conference ahead of the society’s 2025 Clinical Nutrition Conference. Pounds emphasised the urgent need for a coordinated approach involving multidisciplinary experts and stakeholders.

“Once this task force is sanctioned, we need to carry out a needs assessment to identify gaps and opportunities in addressing malnutrition among hospitalised patients. This is where we will recognise the problem and start working towards solutions,” she said.

The upcoming conference, themed: “Bridging the Gap: Integrating Hospital and Community Malnutrition Care in Developing Countries,” is scheduled to take place this month at the National Hospital Abuja, in collaboration with the hospital’s leadership.

Pounds highlighted that while strides have been made in community nutrition support, similar efforts are lacking within hospitals. “This gap costs lives, especially among the most vulnerable. The government must recognise that malnutrition exists in hospitals and allocate resources to the task force to effectively address it.”

Pounds also pointed out that the transition between hospital and community care is often disjointed. “When patients are discharged from hospital to home, there needs to be a structured nutritional care transition plan,” she noted.

“This conference is our united response to the malnutrition challenge. From finding the gaps to implementing solutions, we are committed to bridging hospital and community care,” Pounds said.

Supporting WASPEN’s initiative, the Chief Medical Director (CMD) of the National Hospital Abuja, Prof. Muhammad Mahmud, who was represented by the Chairman of the Medical Advisory Committee (CMAC), Dr Isiaka Lawal, reiterated the hospital’s commitment. “We have already begun engaging with primary care centres to strengthen our multidisciplinary approach under the MOU with WASPEN.”

The conference aims to unite a broad spectrum of stakeholders including physicians, nurses, pharmacists, dietitians, and nutritionists, as well as representatives from professional bodies such as the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives, Nutrition Society of Nigeria (NSN), and Institute of Dietetics in Nigeria (IDN).

The conference will feature keynote speeches, expert panels, case studies, poster sessions, product showcases, and the formal inauguration of the Nutrition Steering Committee at National Hospital Abuja. Key speakers include Prof. Muhammad Mahmud, Prof. Cyril Usifoh, Prof. Audu Bala, Dr Felix Alakaloko, among others, representing diverse disciplines and institutions.