The Bauchi State Government, in collaboration with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), has procured Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) and Small-Quantity Lipid-Based Nutrient Supplements (SQ-LNS) to prevent and treat malnutrition among over 92,000 children in the state.

The Governor, Bala Mohammed, took the delivery of the consignment over the weekend, which was jointly procured by the state and the donor partners, including UNICEF, the Government of the UK, the Bill Foundation, and the Child Investment Fund Foundation.

The 20 local government areas and the state government contributed N300 million last year, while the Child Nutrition Fund matched with an additional N300 million, and the N600 million supplements have been delivered to the state.

Speaking, the Chairman of the Bauchi State Primary Health Care Development Board, Dr. Rilwanu Mohammed, explained that the state has prioritised the reduction of malnutrition and exclusive breastfeeding, with six months of paid leave for lactating mothers to address the increasing cases of severe acute malnutrition.

UNICEF’s Chief of Bauchi Field Office, Dr. Nuzhat Rafique, stated that there are 4,562 cartons of RUTF and 15,419 cartons of SQLNS. According to her, the state has one of the highest rates of malnutrition. “More than 61 per cent of children from six months to 23 months old are undernourished and malnourished. Approximately 92,000 children are wasting away.

“61 per cent are stunted. So the situation is very dire. We need to promote not only the use of therapeutic food and SQLNS, but also prevent malnutrition and provide proper food and nutrition practices at the family level. That is very important,” she said.

The health commissioner, Sani Dambam, called for emergency preventive and curative interventions to reduce the prevalence of anaemia in women of childbearing age, decrease malnutrition and under-five mortality in the state.

He said that the Bauchi State government is committed to working with development partners, especially UNICEF, to improve the nutritional status of women and children through the provision of adequate funds and to ensure the availability of nutrition commodities through the Child Nutrition Fund.

Additionally, he emphasised the importance of harmonising the PHC annual operational plan with the state budget.