Health
THE Kaduna State Government has treated 14,841 severe malnourished children out of the 25,898 children admitted in various Community Management of Acute Malnutrition sites across the state from January to September.
The State Nutrition Officer, Mrs Ramatu Haruna, made this known in Zaria on Friday at the second quarter coordination and review meeting with Local Government Nutrition Focal Persons (NFPs) on food and nutrition activities.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the meeting was organised by the Planning and Budget Commission with support from the United Children’s Fund (UNICEF).
Haruna said that of the 25,898 admitted children, 17,315 were admitted between January and September of which 14,841 were cured, 18 died, 77 did not recover, and 1091 defaulted on treatment.
She added that 184 were transferred out, leaving 9,687 currently on admission.
She expressed concerns over the cure rate which as at September was 57.3 per cent below the standard target of 75 per cent.
She attributed this to stock out of Ready-to-Use therapeutic foods.
She called for support in the provision of RUTF to be able to treat the remaining malnourished children still on admission.
The nutrition officer said that with a 48.1 per cent stunting rate among children under five years in the state, the government has shifted its focus to prevention.
Ms Linda Yakubu, Director, Development Aid Coordination, Planning and Budget Commission, said that the objective of the meeting was to review implementation of second quarter planned nutrition activities.
Yakubu added that the meeting was also to see what results have been achieved in line with plans and targets, evaluate the impact of interventions, challenges, lessons, and good practices.
“The meeting will also provide an opportunity to identify emerging opportunities that would accelerate overall programme results and discuss planned activities for the third quarter,” she said.
UNICEF Nutrition Specialist, Mrs Chinwe Ezeife, said that UNICEF would continue to support the state government in curative and preventive interventions as well policy development and implementation.
Ezeife said that nutrition was at the centre of SDGs.
”If we get it right – food security, health and education, water sanitation and hygiene and child protection, will address the other goals.
“We must, therefore, do all that we can to support good nutrition practices for women and children by implementing high impact nutrition services and programmes and improving food security,” she said.
She said that UNICEF would continue to provide technical and financial support when available with emphasis on prevention, to improve the nutrition situation in the state.
The State Coordinator, Civil Society Scaling Up Nutrition in Nigeria (CS-SUNN), Ms Jessica Bartholomew, stressed the need for the local government nutrition officers to do more to improve the nutritional status of women and children.
Bartholomew expressed concerns that the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey 2021 shows decline in early initiation of breastfeeding practice from 19 per cent in 2016 to 13 per cent in 2021.
“We need to improve on our preventive measures which are cost effective in addressing the problem of malnutrition in the state,” she said.
Also, Dr Zainab Muhammad-Idris, Project Coordinator, Accelerating Nutrition Result in Nigeria (ANRiN), said that the review meeting was very key to determining the journey so far and how to improve.
Muhammad-Idris, who was represented by Hajiya Aishatu Jakada, Adolescents Health, and Nutrition Officer, ANRiN, called on the local government NFP to strengthen sensitisation campaign to improve the nutrition indices. (NAN)
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Tags: Chinwe Ezeife Ramatu Haruna
