Malnutrition: Kano Warns Against Supplement Theft as CSO Decries Worsening Growth of Child Mortality
- Kano state warned against diversion of ₦1bn nutrition supplements for women and children, vows arrest of offenders
- UNICEF and Governor Yusuf jointly fund Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food to tackle malnutrition and anaemia
- Civil society decried worsening child mortality, urges stronger partnerships to sustain nutrition interventions
The Kano state government has warned nutrition coordinators against diverting or selling supplements meant for malnourished children, insisting that offenders will face arrest and prosecution.
Dr Abubakar Labaran Yusuf, the State Commissioner for Health, gave the warning on Wednesday during the closeout and dissemination meeting on Maternal, Infant and Young Child Nutrition (MIYCN) and Multiple Micronutrient Supplement (MMS) interventions in Kano.
Source: Facebook
“The state will not tolerate any actions that undermine efforts to improve the health and well-being of mothers, children, and adolescents,” Dr Yusuf said.
He explained that the Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) distribution, valued at ₦1 billion, was jointly funded by Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf and UNICEF, with each contributing ₦500 million.
Intervention expected to reduce malnutrition
The commissioner said the intervention is expected to last several months and will help to reduce malnutrition and anaemia among pregnant women in the state.
He commended development partners, particularly the FHI 360 Alive and Thrive Nigeria Project, for supporting maternal and child nutrition efforts.
“Through collaborative action, we can ensure that children receive the right nutrition, and mothers remain healthy during and after pregnancy,” he noted.
Civil society voices concern over child mortality
Civil society groups have, however, raised concerns about the worsening rates of child mortality and maternal health outcomes linked to malnutrition in Nigeria.
According to the Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS 2023-2024), stunting among children has risen to 40 per cent, while only 12 per cent of children aged 6–23 months receive a minimum dietary diversity. Anaemia among women of reproductive age remains high at 58 per cent.
A representative of the Alive and Thrive Project, Dr Ashiru Shitu, stated:
“In the last four years, over 8,000 health workers in Kano have been trained. We are committed to scaling up nutrition interventions so that women and children can have healthier outcomes.”
Call for stronger partnerships
The Alive and Thrive initiative, managed by FHI 360 and supported by the Gates Foundation, works with governments, civil society, and communities to improve nutrition systems.
Dr Shitu emphasised that stronger partnerships with state governments will remain vital to achieving both national and global nutrition goals.
“Evidenced-based interventions like MMS and MIYCN are essential to tackling malnutrition. We must sustain the momentum,” he said.
Source: Legit.ng
