Bauchi receives nutrition supplies to combat child malnutrition
The Bauchi State Government has received thousands of cartons of nutrition commodities to support the treatment and prevention of malnutrition among children in the state. The supplies, provided through the
The Bauchi State Government has received thousands of cartons of nutrition commodities to support the treatment and prevention of malnutrition among children in the state.
The supplies, provided through the Child Nutrition Fund managed by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), include 4,562 cartons of Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) and 15,419 cartons of Small Quantity Lipid-Based Nutrient Supplements (SQLNS).
Speaking during the handover ceremony at the Bauchi State Agricultural Development Programme (BSADP) over the weekend, Governor Bala Mohammed said the state government remains committed to tackling malnutrition and improving child health.
The governor, represented by his deputy, Mohammed Auwal Jatau, said the state contributed N300 million to the Child Nutrition Fund last year and plans to release an additional N500 million this year.
He added that the government continues to prioritise the health sector by allocating at least 15 per cent of the state’s budget to healthcare in line with the Abuja Declaration.
Jatau commended UNICEF and other development partners for their continued support, directing the State Primary Health Care Board to ensure effective distribution and monitoring of the nutrition supplements.
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According to him, the state government has also released over N872 million as counterpart funding into the Primary Health Care Memorandum of Understanding (PHC MoU) Basket Fund account to strengthen healthcare delivery.
Earlier, the Commissioner for Health and Social Welfare, Sani Dambam, described the delivery of the nutrition commodities as a significant step in addressing malnutrition in the state.
He said Bauchi continues to face high rates of malnutrition, noting that 61.7 per cent of children under five are stunted, 5.2 per cent are wasted, while 68.6 per cent of women aged between 15 and 49 suffer from anaemia.
Dambam expressed appreciation to UNICEF and other development partners for their support, adding that the state government remains committed to improving the nutritional status of women and children.
