UNICEF, Borno unveil nutrition initiative to fight child malnutrition, stunted growth
By Tada Jutha, Maiduguri
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has urged the Borno State House of Assembly to set up a food and nutrition committee in each of the 27 local government areas to fight malnutrition and stunted growth among children.
According to the UN agency, the nutrition (N27) initiative in the councils would enable children and their mothers’ access Ready to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) or nutrition commodities to avert deaths among them.
Unveiling the nutrition initiative on Thursday in Maiduguri, the Chief of UNICEF Maiduguri Field Office, Joseph Senesie, revealed, “Today’s event signifies the full implementation of the nutrition initiative of the Federal Government in the state.”
He stated that the Assembly’s move will ensure the full implementation at a committee level in each of the 27 local council areas.
He noted that the distribution of RUTF to children in the conflict-affected states of Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe is to be “promoted and sustained” in saving the lives of children from malnutrition.
Senesie urged the Assembly under the leadership of Hon. Abdulkarim Lawan to take the lead in the seamless distribution of nutrition commodities to save the lives of children in the 312 communities.
Besides children’s access to RUFT, he said, “The massive theft, abuse, and sale of nutrition products will be criminalised by enacting a law by the State House of Assembly.
The World Food Programme (WFP) policy officer, Dr. Ifuk-Ibot John Ala, said, “The theft, diversion, and abuse of nutrition commodities is a disgrace to Nigeria,” noting that despite the procurement of RUTF for the state at about $9,000 (N14.4 million), many children continue to die of malnutrition and stunted growth.
The Director of Community and Family Health Service (CFHS), Dr. Mala Abdulwahab, who represented the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health and Human Service, briefed the House Committee on Health on the massive theft, abuse, and diversion of nutrition commodities in the state, including the border communities with Cameroon and Niger.
He also urged the committee to raise the maternity leave from four months to six, along with the establishment of crèches at workplaces, including the Musa Usman Secretariat Complex in Maiduguri.
Responding to UNICEF’s call, the House Committee Chairman on Health, Hon. Maina Mustapha Garbu, representing the Monguno constituency, said that a committee will be raised on the nutrition initiative in each of the 27 local councils. He explained that the vice chairmen of the local councils will lead in the seamless distribution of RUFT products in each of the 312 wards.
Garbu also pledged to criminalise the theft, abuse, and diversion of nutrition commodities by passing a bill. He noted that the passage of the bill on RUFT will also act as a deterrent in any of the affected communities.
