By Uzairu Dauda Bunga:
The Bauchi Field Office of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has handed over Child Nutrition Fund (CNF) supplies to the Bauchi State Government as part of efforts to strengthen the fight against child malnutrition through treatment and prevention across the state.
The commodities, which include Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) and Small Quantity Lipid-Based Nutrient Supplements (SQLNS), were procured through a matching grant arrangement between the state government and UNICEF.
Receiving the items at the Bauchi State Agricultural Development Programme (BSADP) warehouse, the Deputy Governor, Mohammad Auwal Jatau, said the state government remains committed to reducing maternal and child mortality.
He disclosed that the state government had paid ₦862 million into the Basket Fund through the Bauchi State Primary Healthcare Board to support health programmes targeting pregnant women and children.
The Deputy Governor commended UNICEF for its continued support in improving the lives of women and children in the areas of health, education, nutrition, water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH).
He directed the Ministry of Health to establish a high-level committee to ensure proper distribution of the RUTF and SQLNS across the state and to report progress to the Commissioner for Health.
Jatau reaffirmed the commitment of the state government to strengthening collaboration with development partners, particularly UNICEF, to safeguard the rights and wellbeing of women and children.
Presenting the commodities, the Chief of Field Office, Dr Nuzhat Rafique, explained that the supplies were procured through a joint funding arrangement.
She said Local Government Areas contributed One Hundred million Naira, while the Bauchi State Government provided Two Hundred million Naira, bringing the total to Three Hundred million Naira, which UNICEF matched with another 300 million Naira to procure the nutrition commodities.
Dr Rafique urged stakeholders to ensure that accurate nutrition information reaches grassroots communities in order to promote healthy mothers and children.
She added that UNICEF would match an additional Five Hundred million Naira once the Bauchi State Government releases the promised funds to procure more nutrition commodities.
Dr Rafique also expressed concern over the humanitarian situation affecting women and children in displacement camps in Kashere.
She commended the governments of Bauchi State and Gombe State for supporting internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the area.
According to her, the camps host many vulnerable groups including zero-dose children, malnourished children, out-of-school children and anaemic lactating mothers.
She noted that at least 200 cartons of RUTF and 100 cartons of SQLNS are required to address the needs of malnourished children from Bauchi currently in the Kashere IDP camp.
In his remarks the Commissioner for Health and Social Welfare, Dr Sani Muhammad Dambam, said the nutrition commodities would support the treatment of malnutrition among children aged 6 to 59 months, in line with the Child Nutrition Fund investment partnership between the state government and UNICEF.
He reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to improving the nutritional status of women and children through adequate funding and continuous collaboration with development partners.
The commissioner also warned against the diversion of nutrition commodities for personal use.
According to him, UNICEF handed over 4,562 cartons of RUTF and 15,419 cartons of SQLNS to the state.
He added that 601 healthcare workers had also been trained to deliver nutrition services in selected health facilities across Bauchi.
Earlier, the Executive Chairman of the Bauchi State Primary Healthcare Board, Dr Rilwanu Muhammad, explained that the commodities were procured through the matching grant arrangement between UNICEF and the state government.
He called on UNICEF to expand Food and Nutrition Committees to 10 additional Local Government Areas, in addition to the 10 already established by the state government, to strengthen community awareness on proper nutrition for mothers and children.
Dr Rilwanu also appealed to the State House of Assembly to expedite action on the proposed six-month maternity leave for nursing mothers, noting that the policy would help improve maternal and child health outcomes.
He explained that RUTF is used to treat children suffering from severe acute malnutrition, while SQLNS helps prevent malnutrition among children.
In his remarks, the Executive Chairman of Bauchi Local Government and Chairman of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) in the state, Mahmoud Baba Ma’aji, reaffirmed the commitment of local governments to reducing the number of zero-dose children.
He assured that local government chairmen would ensure strict monitoring and adequate security to prevent diversion of the nutrition commodities meant for vulnerable children in communities across the state.
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