Hospital malnutrition in Nigeria is worsening as experts said delayed nutritional screening threatens patients and that a six‑hour “golden hour” protocol is needed. [3]
Without early nutrition assessment, patients are more likely to develop severe weight loss, infections and longer hospital stays, driving up mortality and health‑care costs. [2]
The West African Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition and the Indian Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition said the current practice often waits days before screening, missing a critical window for intervention. [1]
Both societies said nutritional screening should be performed within six hours of admission, a “golden hour” approach that can identify at‑risk patients before complications arise—research shows early detection improves recovery rates. [1]
Hospital administrators in Lagos and Abuja said there are gaps in staffing and protocol enforcement, and they will review guidelines and allocate resources for rapid screening teams. [2]
If the six‑hour standard is adopted nationwide, clinicians could intervene sooner, potentially reducing malnutrition‑related deaths and shortening stays, but success depends on training, equipment and sustained funding. [3]
The April 17, 2026 report noted that hospitals across the country have seen a noticeable increase in patients identified with protein‑energy malnutrition since 2023, underscoring the urgency of the issue. [3]
Experts argue that integrating dietitians into admission teams, using simple screening tools such as the Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool, and embedding nutrition checkpoints into electronic records can make the six‑hour target feasible. [1]
International guidelines from the European Society for Clinical Nutrition also said early screening is important, and the local societies said aligning Nigerian protocols with these standards would bring the country in step with global best practice. [2]
The cost implications are significant; malnutrition prolongs hospitalization and inflates budgetary pressures on already strained public hospitals, a link highlighted in the report. [2]
Stakeholders, including the Federal Ministry of Health, are being urged to issue a directive mandating the six‑hour screening, allocate funding for training, and monitor compliance through regular audits. [2]
“Both societies recommend that nutritional screening be performed within six hours of admission.”
Adopting a six‑hour nutrition screening protocol could curb the rise in hospital malnutrition, improve patient outcomes and reduce costs, but it will require coordinated policy action, staff training and investment in screening tools across Nigeria’s health system.
