As preparations intensify for the 5th Annual WASPEN Clinical Nutrition Conference, the Chairman of the 2026 edition, Pharmacist Paul Enebeli, has urged Nigeria to urgently prioritise hospital nutrition care, describing it as a fundamental pillar for improving healthcare delivery and patient survival outcomes.
The conference, scheduled to hold from June 22 to 25, 2026, would take place at the Federal Medical Centre, Asaba, Delta State.
Enebeli said sustainable clinical nutrition services must be fully integrated into healthcare systems across Nigeria and the wider West African region.
With the theme “Sustainable Clinical Nutrition Services: Ensuring Access, Safety, and Collaboration,” the gathering is expected to bring together healthcare professionals, nutrition experts, researchers, policymakers, and institutional leaders focused on reshaping nutrition care through evidence-based and collaborative practice.
In an interview with CEOAFRICA, official media partner of the event, Enebeli said the conference was intentionally designed to move discussions from challenges to practical solutions that reposition nutrition as a core part of modern medical care.
He emphasised that nutritional support, including enteral and parenteral nutrition, should no longer be treated as secondary care, but as an essential component of treatment, recovery, and disease prevention.
“A lack of awareness and knowledge among healthcare professionals can sometimes hinder effective nutritional interventions,” Enebeli stated.
He further noted that high-quality healthcare delivery cannot be achieved without a strong nutrition care system.
“Effective, trustworthy clinical nutrition is thus an essential pillar of modern healthcare, preventing and treating disease through scientifically backed nutritional practices,” he added.
Enebeli stressed the need for a collective response to malnutrition across all levels of healthcare.
“Doctors, nurses, medical and nursing students, volunteers, and even catering staff all have an essential role to play.
”Therefore, I am calling on everyone to join this conference. Let us end malnutrition together,” he declared.
His position aligned with that of the Founder and President of the West African Society of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition, Dr. Teresa Pounds, who stressed that access to proper nutrition care is a basic human right.
Dr. Pounds called for stronger collaboration among healthcare professionals, institutions, and regulators to break down silos and improve standards in nutrition education, training, and patient care.
“Strong partnerships are essential to raising standards in nutritional care, education and training,” she said.
She also reiterated the organisation’s commitment to cross-sector collaboration.
“By working closely with organisations and stakeholders, we can strengthen multidisciplinary collaboration to ensure that high-quality, safe, evidence-based nutritional support remains central to patient care in all settings, ” she added.
Pounds described the conference as a key platform for advancing clinical nutrition practice in the region, adding that it will strengthen healthcare systems, improve outcomes, and deepen professional collaboration.
The conference is expected to attract top government officials and healthcare leaders from within and outside Nigeria.
Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, is expected as Special Guest of Honour and would formally declare the conference open.
Nigeria’s Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Muhammad Pate, is also expected to attend, reflecting increased federal commitment to integrating nutrition into national health policy.
A keynote address titled “Building Sustainable Clinical Nutrition Services in Nigeria: Guidelines, Collaboration, and a Call to Action” would be delivered by Ladidi Bako-Aiyegbusi.
A joint presentation titled “Championing Hospital Nutrition Care: A Vision for Delta State and Nigeria” would also be delivered by Enebeli alongside Joseph Onojaeme.
The event would feature international experts including Zandraetta Tims-Cook and Mario Ferreyra, alongside other notable dignitaries such as legal scholar and traditional ruler Epiphany Azinge.
Professional bodies expected include the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, Nigerian Medical Association, National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives, and the Nutrition Society of Nigeria.
The four-day programme would open with pre-conference workshops focusing on pediatric nutrition assessment and quality assurance protocols, aimed at strengthening clinical nutrition capacity across West Africa.
Registration has been set at N25,000 for the pre-conference workshop, N35,000 for the main conference, and N15,000 for students.
Organised by the West African Society of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition, the conference is widely regarded as a major platform for mainstreaming clinical nutrition into healthcare systems across Africa.
As the June 22 opening date approaches, stakeholders said WASPEN 2026 is expected to set new standards for nutrition care and healthcare delivery across the continent.
