UNICEF gives Jigawa N500m worth of RUTF to combat malnutrition
moderator
UNICEF has handed over Ready to Use Therapeutic Foods (RUTF) worth over N500 million to the Jigawa State Government to address the severe malnutrition crisis affecting the region. This donation is expected to treat over 14,000 children suffering from severe wasting.
During the handover ceremony at the Government House in Dutse, Jigawa State Governor Umar Namadi expressed gratitude for the timely intervention. “The RUTF supply comes at a crucial moment as our over seventy (70) CMAM CentrEs across the state were nearly out of stock,” he stated.
Governor Namadi praised UNICEF as the longest-standing and most reliable development partner of Jigawa State, noting, “For over three decades, UNICEF has supported successive governments in providing essential social services, particularly those that promote the survival, protection and development of women and children. 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 potentials in life,” he said.
He highlighted UNICEF’s contributions to health and nutrition, basic education, water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), social policy development, and social protection interventions. The governor emphasised that the RUTF intervention aligns with the state government’s commitment to addressing issues raised in the report on the situation analysis of children in Jigawa State, particularly concerning the alarming rates of wasting and stunting among children.
The governor promised to be more committed to issues affecting women and children in his state. “We are more committed than ever to changing the narrative by sustaining and improving all ongoing nutrition programmes, including our collaboration with UNICEF. No child in Jigawa State should suffer from hunger and malnutrition,” Governor Namadi asserted, underscoring the devastating, irreversible consequences of malnutrition on children’s cognitive development and their potential in life. He also pledged to further enhance the homegrown Masaki Nutrition Programme, leveraging locally available recipes to positively impact child nutrition.
UNICEF Country Director Ms. Cristian Munduate commended Jigawa State’s leadership in nutrition, health and WASH over the past three years, noting their consistent fund releases, quality service delivery and creation of a strong enabling environment. She highlighted the significant role of the Child Nutrition Fund (CNF), supported by key partners such as the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation, and the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office UK, managed by UNICEF.
“Jigawa State was one of the early adopters of the Child Nutrition Fund, releasing N250 million in 2023, which UNICEF matched. This enabled the procurement of much-needed RUTF to treat around 14,000 children with severe wasting, marking the largest contribution by any state in Nigeria under the CNF to date,” Ms. Munduate explained.
She pointed out the rising malnutrition crisis in Nigeria, exacerbated by conflict, forced displacement and increasing food insecurity. “Nigeria has the highest number of malnourished children in Africa and the second highest globally, with over 9 million children wasted,” she said. Ms. Munduate revealed staggering statistics for Jigawa State: 64 per cent of children are stunted, nearly 10 per cent are wasted, and around 82 per cent suffer from anemia. Over 80 per cent of children experience food poverty, lacking a diverse diet necessary for growth and development.
Despite these challenges, Jigawa State has been proactive in addressing nutrition, health and WASH issues. 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.
https://thenationonlineng.net/unicef-gives-jigawa-n500m-worth-of-rutf-to-combat-malnutrition/
