FMC Asaba to Host 5th Clinical Nutrition Conference

The Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Asaba, will this year host delegates for the fifth Annual Clinical Nutrition Conference of the West African Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (WASPEN).

The event, themed: “Sustainable Clinical and Nutrition Services: Ensuring Access, Safety, and Collaboration,” is scheduled to run from June 22nd to 25th, 2026.

Speaking during a virtual press conference, the Chief Medical Director, FMC Asaba, Dr. Ekeneam Omo, stated that the programme presents an opportunity for medical institutions to assess its clinical malnutrition response strategies while also galvanizing coordinated action to strengthen action in this regard.

“We are very excited that we are going to be hosting this year’s event,” Dr. Omo stated. “Before now, we had specialists handling issues of malnutrition at the Federal Medical Centre, Asaba, restricted to their individual units and departments. But with the critical awareness created by WASPEN, we hope to transition into a robust, hospital-wide approach to tackling malnutrition.”

On her part, President and Founder of WASPEN, Dr. Isichie Pounds, noted that this year’s conference forms part of a country wide campaign to strengthen awareness on hospital malnutrition while charting the course for institutional preparedness for a more responsive healthcare system.

She added that deliberations will focus heavily on how Nigeria and by extension African hospitals can systematically implement early nutrition screening frameworks, domesticate global best practices, and break professional silos to forge strong collaborations among physicians, pharmacists, dietitians, and nursing care teams.

Meanwhile Chairman of the conference, Pharm. Paul Enebeli, explained that why this year’s event is even more timely is that hospital malnutrition impacts on patients’ recovery rates, increases hospital stay, worsens complications, and places significant financial pressure on both families and healthcare systems.

With timely nutrition screening, early intervention, and coordinated multidisciplinary care, he said, many patients recover faster, respond better to treatment, and experience fewer complications.

“Clinical malnutrition must be treated as an essential clinical service, not an optional support function. No healthcare system can achieve quality patient care without addressing access to nutrition therapy, ensuring safety and delivery, and strengthening collaboration among healthcare professionals. That is why this edition is particularly significant,” he said.