The West African Society of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (WASPEN) says between 30 per cent and 45 per cent of patients are malnourished on admission into tertiary health facilities.
The Founder and President of WASPEN, Dr Teresa Pounds, said this at a virtual news conference on Monday, June1, announcing the society’s Fifth Annual Clinical Nutrition Conference scheduled for June 22 to 25 in Asaba, Delta State.
She said hospital malnutrition had become a silent epidemic, with evidence from health facilities showing that it remained one of the most under-recognised threats to patient safety and recovery in spite of its far-reaching consequences on health outcomes.
According to Pounds, hospital malnutrition was associated with longer hospital stays, increased infections, delayed wound healing, higher treatment costs, and elevated risks of readmission and death.
She added that this malnutrition affected patients across all age groups, including premature newborns in neonatal intensive care units, children with severe illnesses and adults living with chronic diseases.
Pounds emphasised that effective management of hospital malnutrition required collaboration among physicians, dietitians, nurses, pharmacists, social workers, other healthcare professionals, and government institutions.
Leave a comment