The Jigawa state governor, Malam Umar Namadi has today received Ready to Use Therapeutic Foods (RUTF) worth over N500 million from the United Nations Children Education Fund (UNICEF) to combat malnutrition in the state.
Speaking while taking the delivery of the commodity at government house Dutse, Governor Umar Namadi said the RUTF supply is timely as the state is almost out of stock in our over seventy (70) CMAM Centers spread all over the state.
Namadi explained that “UNICEF is the oldest and most consistent Development Partner collaborating with and supporting the efforts of successive governments in the Jigawa State in the delivery of basic social services especially those that promote the survival, protection and development of women and children.”
According to him, for over three decades the organization (UNICEF) has continued to provide support in such areas as health and nutrition, basic education, water, sanitation and hygiene, social policy development, and social protection interventions among others
He noted that the intervention is also in line with the state government’s commitments to address concerns raised in the report on the situation analysis of children in the state, “these concerns include ensuring nutrition security for our children given the unfavourable statistics on such nutrition indices as wasting and stunting among children in the state.”
The governor stated further “We are, more than ever before, committed to doing whatever is necessary to change the narratives by sustaining and improving on all ongoing nutrition programs including the ongoing collaboration with UNICEF, to ensure that no child in the State is allowed to experience hunger and malnutrition.
“We all believe, the biggest tragedy that could happen to a child is to be afflicted with malnutrition at the formative stage of his or her life as the consequences of such an affliction are irreversible. With a hampered cognitive capacity, the child is prevented from attaining his or her full potential in life.
He promised to be more committed and ensure the sustaining and improvement of the homegrown Masaki Nutrition Programme which was meant to leverage locally available recipes with significant and positive impact on child nutrition.
Speaking also the UNICEF country director, Cristian Munduate said for the past three years, Jigawa State has shown remarkable leadership in nutrition, health, water, sanitation and hygiene through consistent fund releases, quality service delivery, and creating a strong enabling environment.
Munduate told the governor that the Child Nutrition Fund (CNF) supported by key partners such as the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, The Children’s Investment Fund Foundation, Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office UK amongst others and managed by UNICEF, is a unique funding instrument.
According to her “Jigawa State was one of the early adopters of the Child Nutrition Fund, releasing 250 million naira in 2023. UNICEF matched this amount, enabling the procurement of much needed RUTF. This initiative will treat around 14,000 children with severe wasting, marking the largest contribution by any state in Nigeria under the CNF to date.
“Malnutrition in Nigeria is on the rise, driven by conflict, forced displacement, and increasing food insecurity due to limited accessibility and affordability. Nigeria currently has the highest number of malnourished children in Africa and the second highest globally, with over 9 million children wasted.”
UNICEF representative disclosed that “Jigawa State faces a high burden of malnutrition, with 64% of children stunted, nearly 10 % wasted, and around 82 % suffering from anaemia. Over 80% of children experience food poverty, lacking a diverse diet to support growth and development. Ladies and gentlemen, these figures are staggering.”
She maintained that “Despite these challenges, Jigawa State has been proactive in nutrition, health, and WASH programming. Last year, the state procured nearly 4,700 cartons of RUTF, treating over 5,000 children. Jigawa’s innovative Masaki Nutrition Programme, with 300 community sites fully funded by the government, focuses on malnutrition prevention. Trained community health workers are deployed across the state, making Jigawa the first state in Nigeria to implement such a community nutrition programme.”
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