Malnutrition crisis: Experts urge ‘Golden hour’ screening in hospitals to save lives
The West African Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (WASPEN), in collaboration with the Indian Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (ISPEN), has called for an urgent review of clinical
The West African Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (WASPEN), in collaboration with the Indian Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (ISPEN), has called for an urgent review of clinical nutrition protocols.
The group urged hospitals to adopt a “golden hour” approach to nutritional screening as part of efforts to curb rising cases of hospital malnutrition.
The experts made the call during a global webinar themed “Strengthening Clinical Nutrition Care Through Effective Nutrition Assessment,” where stakeholders described hospital malnutrition as a silent but deadly health crisis requiring immediate intervention.
Delivering the keynote address, Chief Clinical Dietitian at Apollo Hospitals, Dr. Daphnee Lovesley, stressed the need for early nutritional intervention, noting that the problem often begins at the point of hospital admission.
She disclosed that at least 11 hospitalised patients go undiagnosed with malnutrition every minute, adding that up to two-thirds of patients are already malnourished upon admission, with the figure rising to about 85 per cent in parts of Africa.
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According to her, delays in initiating nutritional care beyond the first 24 hours significantly increase patients’ risk of complications and death.
“If we delay our nutrition prescription for more than 24 hours, the patient is at extreme risk,” she warned.
Lovesley advocated a mandatory “golden hour” framework, recommending that all patients be screened within the first six hours of admission.
She explained that early detection would help prevent complications such as sarcopenia—loss of muscle mass and function—which contributes to frailty, fractures, and poor recovery outcomes.
She also urged the adoption of the Global Leadership Initiative on Malnutrition (GLIM) framework to enable healthcare teams to identify high-risk patients through indicators such as recent weight loss, reduced food intake, and disease severity.
In her remarks, President of WASPEN, Dr. Teresa Pounds, underscored the need for the structured implementation of clinical nutrition systems across Nigeria.
She called on the Federal Government to adopt a coordinated approach towards the full implementation of the Nutritional Steering Committee (NSC) in healthcare facilities nationwide.
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Pounds also urged chief medical directors and hospital administrators in both public and private health institutions to prioritise routine nutritional assessment for all admitted patients and establish multidisciplinary nutrition committees to ensure screening within 24 hours.
She emphasised that nutrition care remains a critical component of successful treatment outcomes and requires stronger institutional commitment.
“When we work together, we achieve more. Nigeria is making progress towards establishing a Nutritional Steering Committee, but global best practices must be domesticated. Accreditation bodies must integrate these standards into the healthcare system,” she said.
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Experts at the webinar further highlighted the need for a multidisciplinary approach involving doctors, nurses, and dietitians.
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They recommended the adoption of protected mealtimes to minimise interruptions during feeding, as well as a “food-first” approach that prioritises natural diets before supplements.
Lovesley noted that untreated malnutrition could prolong hospital stay by two to three days, while increasing the risk of infections, delayed wound healing, and death, thereby placing additional burden on the healthcare system.
In her closing remarks, Pounds described clinical nutrition as a key pillar of patient care and public health, calling for sustained commitment from stakeholders.
She also invited healthcare professionals to participate in WASPEN’s forthcoming conference scheduled for June 22 to 25, 2026, describing it as a platform to advance clinical nutrition practice in the region.
“Nutritional assessment remains the most effective tool for preventing morbidity and early mortality among patients,” she added.
