In a bold move to tackle child malnutrition at the very point health needs are most urgent, Community Pot has extended its Nutrition Support Centre (NSC) initiative to private hospitals, beginning with Vine Branch Hospital in Ibadan.
The activation, held on July 25, marked the establishment of a dedicated NSC desk within the hospital — a space where trained personnel can conduct immediate nutrition screening, provide tailored counselling, and link patients to therapeutic and supplementary meals.
Speaking at the launch, Community Pot Founder, Mrs. Oluwakemi Jeje, explained the vision behind the hospital-based expansion:
“We are bringing the fight against malnutrition right to the heart of our communities. Every clinic or hospital visit is a chance to save a child from malnutrition. By placing the Nutrition Support Centre within healthcare facilities, we can reach mothers and children who might otherwise be missed in community-based interventions.”
NSC Team aligning nutrition services with the Vine Branch Medical Team
The hospital activation model integrates nutrition rehabilitation services directly into the hospital’s patient care flow. This allows vulnerable groups; particularly children and pregnant or lactating women to be identified during routine visits or referred by hospital staff for immediate support. Services include screening, counselling on simple food fortification for improved child nutrition, and follow-up care scheduling.
A volunteer with Community Pot on the NSC initiative, Balkis Opeyemi Alabi, shared her excitement about the bold step and explained what makes the activation unique:
“We are not just giving nutritional support in terms of the supplement, we are also giving a form of education because not all parents know the technicalities of weaning a child from breast milk into family food.”
A dedicated NSC desk set up within the hospital
HR Manager at Vine Branch Medical Center and Vine Branch Fertility Centre, Mrs. Olayemi Adekemi, commended Community Pot for the innovation and for partnering with the hospital to ensure mothers can access nutritional products at very affordable rates.
“We are happy to work with Community Pot to make sure mothers receive the right knowledge and children get the nutrition they need to combat malnutrition. This collaboration will make a real difference in the lives of our patients.”
The launch at Vine Branch Hospital involved setting up the NSC desk, training hospital staff on screening and referral processes, and aligning nutrition services with existing medical care.
Community Pot plans to replicate this model across more private hospitals, ensuring that life-saving nutrition interventions are available to patients at the very first point of contact with the healthcare system.
Recent Comments