The Bauchi State government and UNICEF have committed N600 million to combat child malnutrition and scale up nutrition support for pregnant women across the state.
The state distributed 4,842 cartons of ready-to-use therapeutic food and 15,000 cartons of small-quantity lipid-based nutrient supplements to integrated management of acute malnutrition centres, the executive chairman of the Bauchi State Primary Health Care Development Board, Dr. Rilwanu Muhammad, said Friday.
Speaking to newsmen, Dr Muhammad said both the Bauchi government and UNICEF contributed N300 million each to procure the commodities, citing inflation as a key driver of rising malnutrition.
“The malnutrition we are seeing is not just because of poverty, i; is because of inflation. Children are coming out malnourished,” he said.
Dr Muhammad stated that Bauchi is the first state in Nigeria to use state funds to procure SQLNS for prevention, adding that UNICEF also supplied about 15 million doses and distributed them to high-risk communities.
He said the state has also become the first to roll out multiple micronutrient supplements for pregnant women. The board has received 30,000 cartons, with another shipment at the port.
Dr MDrmmad said MMS prevents anaemia and supports mother and child, adding that demand is rising.
He explained that Governor Bala Mohammed has raised this year’s budget for child and maternal nutrition to N500 million, while UNICEF plans to commit $1 billion nationwide, he added.
The chairman said the state is awaiting release of approved funds to expand treatment for severe, moderate and mild malnutrition.
To make MMS sustainable, Dr MuhDrad said the state is pushing to include it in the essential drug list or revolving drug fund. At $3 per bottle, it costs more than folic acid but delivers greater benefits.
“We trained health workers and now use electronic records to track distribution and ensure transparency,” he said.
He also urged the government to subsidise farming inputs, warning that high costs were worsening food insecurity.
“If you want a healthy baby and a healthy mother, you must make sacrifices,” he said.
Leave a Reply