Jigawa Govt releases N150m to fight acute malnutrition in children

Dr Shehu Sambo, the Director, Primary Healthcare Development Agency in Jigawa, on Tuesday said the state government has released N150 million toward the fight against acute malnutrition in children.

Sambo made this known in Jos, at the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF)’s mid-year review meeting organised by its Bauchi Field Office.

“The state government has graciously approved and released N150 million for the purchase of the Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) as a way of fighting the menace.

“We actually proposed and pushed for N300 million, but we were able to get half of the amount.

“We will not stop there, we shall swing into action with what is handy, while we keep pushing for the remaining money to be released,” the director said.

Sambo said that malnutrition among children in the state was alarming, hence, the need for the state government to take urgent action in addressing it.

“We all know Jigawa is one of the states in the federation with large number of children with acute malnutrition.

“At a point, we had over 63 per cent stunted children and serious efforts have been put in place to curb the menace,’’ he said.

The director thanked UNICEF for the support it has so far granted the state in curbing malnutrition in children and called for more collaboration.

In his remarks, the UNICEF Chief of Field Office in Bauchi, Dr Abdulai Kakai, commended the state government for taking the bold step toward ending acute malnutrition in children.

“We are fully aware of the current recession, but we urge the state governments not to forget the wellbeing of women and children in the country,” Kakai said.

 

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