Sokoto State Government has earmarked about N500 million to address the rising cases of severe acute malnutrition among children in the state.The state governor, Ahmad Aliyu Sokoto, according to the Director-General of Media and Publicity to the Governor, Abubakar Bawa, in a statement, yesterday disclosed this during a high-level advocacy visit to Sokoto, led by the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Prof. Nantewa Yilwatda.
The governor, who reiterated his administration’s dedication to enhancing the healthcare delivery system in the state, expressed gratitude to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) for its commitment to providing humanitarian and developmental aid to children globally. He acknowledged the agency for its unwavering support in the health and education sectors in the state.
In her response, Yilwatda commended Sokoto State Government and its development partners for their efforts in combating malnutrition, especially the rise in severe acute malnutrition among children.
The minister urged both the federal and state governments to increase their commitments and resources to address the nutrition crisis in the region.
She also encouraged the state government to explore local solutions to nutrition production, particularly through its capacity for large-scale grain production.
Yilwatda emphasised the urgent need for coordinated and sustained efforts from all levels of government and development partners to address the escalating malnutrition situation in Sokoto State.
The European Union’s (EU) Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Gautier Mignot, praised the state government for its hospitality and reiterated the EU’s dedication to supporting malnourished and vulnerable children in Sokoto and Nigeria.
UNICEF Country Representative, Cristian Munduate, described the current nutrition crisis as alarming, citing findings from a recent SMART survey. She said that UNICEF had provided N1.5 billion in counter-funding to support the state’s efforts and encouraged the adoption of local and sustainable approaches to address severe acute malnutrition.
The advocacy delegation later visited a health facility in the state capital alongside the deputy governor, where they observed the treatment of severe acute malnutrition cases managed by Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) and UNICEF.
