UNICEF, Gombe Launch Initiative to Combat Child Malnutrition, Call for Greater Investment in First 1,000 Days

By Auwal Ahmad Umar

The Gombe State Government, in partnership with UNICEF and the Latter-day Saints Charities (LDSC), has launched a new nutrition project aimed at preventing malnutrition among mothers and children during the first 1,000 days of life, describing the period as the foundation for a child’s lifelong health, learning and productivity.

The project, unveiled during a stakeholders’ meeting at Travel View Hotel in Gombe, seeks to strengthen maternal and child nutrition services, improve infant and young child feeding practices, and reduce child malnutrition across the state.

Speaking at the event, the UNICEF Chief of Field Office praised the Gombe State Government for its sustained commitment to improving the welfare of women and children through strategic investments and collaboration with development partners.

> **”Today represents another important milestone in our collective commitment to ensuring that every mother and every child in Gombe State have the opportunity not only to survive but to thrive,”** the UNICEF official said.

The official noted that the first 1,000 days—from conception until a child’s second birthday—are the most critical period for brain development, physical growth, immunity and lifelong health, stressing that investments made during this period produce some of the highest returns in human capital development.

> **”The first 1,000 days happen only once. If we get it right, children will survive, learn better, grow stronger and become healthier, more productive citizens who contribute to the development of Gombe State,”** the official added.

UNICEF expressed concern over the persistent burden of malnutrition in Nigeria, citing findings from the **2023–2024 National Demographic and Health Survey**, which show that malnutrition remains a significant threat to children’s wellbeing in Gombe State.

The organisation explained that the new initiative is aligned with the Federal Government’s **Nutrition 774 (N-774) Initiative**, the Health Sector-Wide Approach (SWAp), and the National Food and Nutrition Policy. It is expected to strengthen nutrition planning, accountability, financing and service delivery at both state and local government levels.

According to UNICEF, the project will focus on strengthening evidence-based planning and coordination, improving maternal and child nutrition services, reinforcing health, food and social protection systems, and promoting social and behaviour change interventions to encourage healthy nutrition practices among families.

> **”These investments will help improve maternal nutrition, increase exclusive breastfeeding, promote appropriate complementary feeding, prevent micronutrient deficiencies, strengthen community-based nutrition services and ultimately reduce child malnutrition and mortality,”** the UNICEF representative said.

The organisation emphasised that no single institution can solve the challenge of malnutrition alone, calling for stronger collaboration among government ministries, traditional and religious institutions, civil society organisations, development partners and communities.

> **”The success of this initiative will require strong political commitment, sustained domestic investment and effective collaboration across sectors including health, agriculture, education, water, sanitation, social protection, traditional institutions, religious leaders, civil society and development partners,”** the official said.

UNICEF also urged stakeholders to prioritise nutrition as a key development investment by increasing domestic funding, strengthening coordination across sectors, using reliable data for planning and accountability, and mobilising communities to adopt optimal maternal, infant and young child feeding practices.

Representing Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya at the launch, the Executive Secretary of the Gombe State Primary Health Care Development Agency, **Dr Abdulrahman Shuaibu**, reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to improving maternal and child nutrition through sustained investments in primary healthcare and strategic partnerships with development organisations.

**”The administration of Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya recognises that good nutrition is fundamental to the survival, growth and development of every child. That is why we have continued to prioritise interventions that strengthen primary healthcare, improve nutrition services and expand access to quality healthcare for women and children across the state,”** Dr Shuaibu said.

He commended UNICEF and the Latter-day Saints Charities for supporting the initiative, describing the partnership as timely and critical to the state’s efforts to reduce child malnutrition. He assured stakeholders that the government would provide the necessary leadership, coordination and resources required for the successful implementation of the project.

Dr Shuaibu further called on traditional and religious leaders, civil society organisations, development partners and community members to support the campaign by promoting exclusive breastfeeding, proper complementary feeding and other healthy nutrition practices. According to him, collective action remains essential to ensuring that every child in Gombe has the opportunity to survive, grow and realise his or her full potential.

The launch marks another step in Gombe State’s efforts to tackle malnutrition and improve child survival, with stakeholders expressing optimism that the initiative will contribute to healthier families and better development outcomes across the state.

Gombe, UNICEF Targets Child Malnutrition with N1bn Lifeline

By Auwal Umar, Gombe

The Gombe State Government and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) have unveiled a N1 billion intervention aimed at combating acute malnutrition among children, as alarming nutrition indicators continue to threaten the well-being of thousands of young children across the state.

The intervention, funded through a counterpart arrangement in which the state government and UNICEF contributed N500 million each, will provide Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) for the treatment of children suffering from severe acute malnutrition.

Speaking during a monitoring exercise of the nutrition commodities, the executive secretary of the Gombe State Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr Abdulrahman Shuaibu, described malnutrition as one of the most serious public health challenges confronting the state.

According to him, the therapeutic food products will be distributed across all local government areas to ensure that affected children receive timely treatment and nutritional support.

“These emergency foods, known as ready-to-use therapeutic food, are meant for the management of children with acute malnutrition. The Gombe State Government has provided N500 million as matching funds, while UNICEF also contributed N500 million, bringing the total investment to N1 billion,” he said.

Dr Shuaibu noted that the government was taking proactive measures because of the growing burden of child malnutrition in the state.

Recent findings from the Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) 2023-24 show that malnutrition remains a major concern in Gombe and across the North-East. The survey revealed that children in the region continue to face high levels of stunting, wasting and underweight conditions, indicators that reflect chronic and acute undernutrition.

The agency head said the intervention aims to save lives and get the supplies to the kids who need them most.

“Gombe has a high number of malnourished children, and this situation has compelled the government to take decisive action. We are monitoring the distribution process closely to ensure transparency and accountability so that these commodities reach the intended beneficiaries,” he stated.

Also speaking, UNICEF’s Vaccine Security and Logistics Representative in Gombe State, Pharmacist Abubakar Muhammad, said the intervention was informed by nutrition data that identified a significant number of children requiring urgent nutritional support.

“Based on available data, we observed that many children are suffering from malnutrition and require these nutritional supplements. That is why UNICEF intervened by providing ready-to-use therapeutic food for the management of malnourished children,” he explained.

Muhammad noted that UNICEF has maintained a strong partnership with Gombe State over the past seven years, supporting various health and nutrition programmes aimed at improving child survival and development.

“UNICEF has been supporting Gombe State for the past seven years, and we remain committed to sustaining this intervention and other programmes that improve the health and nutrition of children,” he added.

Health experts say severe acute malnutrition remains one of the leading causes of illness and death among children under five, especially in vulnerable communities where access to nutritious food is limited.

With the new N1 billion investment, thousands of children are expected to benefit from life-saving treatment, offering renewed hope to families struggling to protect their children from the devastating effects of hunger and malnutrition.

For many parents across Gombe, the intervention represents more than a government programme, it is a chance for their children to survive, recover and grow into healthy adults.

Troops kill ISWAP Shura member in Yobe offensive

By Tada Jutha, Maiduguri

Troops of Operation Hadin Kai have killed a senior commander of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), identified as Abu Jarir, during a coordinated military operation in Yobe State, security sources have said.

The operation, which involved both ground forces and air support, was carried out along the Babangida–Dapchi axis, a strategic corridor in the state.

Military sources told Premium Times-style reporting that the strike followed credible intelligence on the movement of the insurgent leader and his fighters within the area.

“It was around 6:12 p.m. on April 22 that our troops, acting on intelligence, engaged the terrorists in the Babangida general area and successfully neutralised Abu Jarir,” one of the sources said.

Abu Jarir was said to be a member of ISWAP’s Shura council, a top decision-making body within the group. His killing is considered a major blow to the insurgents’ leadership structure in the Lake Chad region, which covers parts of Nigeria, Niger, Chad and Cameroon.

Security officials also disclosed that ISWAP’s overall commander in the Lake Chad region, identified as Ba Shuwa, reportedly dispatched a search team to recover the body of the slain commander shortly after the incident.

The search party, according to the sources, was later sighted moving on motorcycles around the Aljanna Jaule area of Yobe State.

Military authorities have yet to issue an official statement on the operation.

However, sources said troops have continued exploitation operations across the Babangida–Dapchi axis and parts of the Sasawa Forest, as the military intensifies efforts to weaken insurgent networks in the North-east.

The Nigerian military has, in recent months, sustained pressure on ISWAP and Boko Haram factions through a combination of air strikes and ground offensives, targeting their hideouts and supply routes across the region.