By Seun Ibiyemi
The West African Health Organisation has officially endorsed the global Call to Action on Catalysing Large-Scale Food Fortification to End Child Malnutrition by 2030, reaffirming its commitment to ensuring that no child is left behind in the fight against malnutrition across the ECOWAS region.
The initiative, launched by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development during the 2026 Hamburg Sustainability Conference, seeks to accelerate the implementation of large-scale food fortification as a proven, sustainable and cost-effective strategy for tackling child malnutrition and micronutrient deficiencies worldwide.
By endorsing the initiative, WAHO said it would work alongside BMZ and global partners to champion large-scale food fortification as an evidence-based public health intervention capable of improving maternal and child nutrition while protecting vulnerable populations.
The regional health body noted that despite significant progress in recent decades, malnutrition remains one of the greatest threats to public health and sustainable development.
It cited global estimates showing that nearly 700 million people still experience hunger, while about two billion people suffer from micronutrient deficiencies, with one in every two children affected.
According to WAHO, these deficiencies hinder children’s physical growth and cognitive development, perpetuate poverty and inequality, and impose significant social and economic costs on countries.
The organisation explained that large-scale food fortification involves adding essential vitamins and minerals to commonly consumed foods such as flour, rice, edible oils and salt, improving the nutritional status of populations without requiring significant changes in dietary habits.
WAHO said the Call to Action identifies five priority areas to eliminate child malnutrition by 2030. These include strengthening governance systems and regulatory frameworks, reaching the most vulnerable populations with particular attention to women and children, mobilising the private sector through strategic partnerships, promoting regional trade and markets for fortified foods, and creating an enabling environment through stronger institutional capacity, research and information systems.
The organisation emphasised that these actions would help strengthen regional policies, harmonise regulatory frameworks and foster collaboration among governments, development partners, academic institutions, civil society organisations and the private sector.
As the specialised health institution of ECOWAS, WAHO reaffirmed its commitment to working closely with member states, regional institutions and technical and financial partners to promote harmonised nutrition policies, strengthen regional cooperation and advance evidence-based interventions that protect women, children and vulnerable communities from preventable malnutrition.
The organisation said equitable access to fortified foods remains critical to accelerating progress towards ending child malnutrition and securing a healthier and more prosperous future for every child in the ECOWAS region by 2030.
