Group identifies 96,488 malnourished children in Kaduna in need of N6.4bn for treatment

A group, Civil Society-Scaling Up Nutrition in Nigeria (CS-SUNN), on Tuesday, identified 96,488 severe acutely malnourished children in Kaduna State that are in need of N6.4 billion for treatment.  This is as the NICEF had expressed concerns that 10 million children face the risk of drought, acute hunger, among others in Africa.

The State Coordinator of CS-SUNN in Kaduna, Ms Jessica Bartholomew, during an advocacy visit to the management of Kaduna State Media Corporation (KSMC), disclosed that children under five years constituted more than two million of the over 10 million estimated population of the state.

She said that of the figure, 4.8 per cent, representing 96,488 of the children were severe and acutely malnourished.

The coordinator said that of the N6.4 billion required to treat the children, the government had budgeted N2.3 billion in its 2022 budget, leaving a gap of N4.1 billion, representing a 64 per cent deficit.

Ms Jessica Bartholomew emphasized the need for increased investments in the nutrition sub-sector to boost human capital development in the state.

The Director of Development Aid Coordination in the state Planning and Budget Commission, Ms Linda Yakubu, emphasised that the visit was to strengthen collaboration with KSMC to amplify nutrition issues and promote good nutrition practice.

Yakubu, leading the delegation, stated that the media is critical to the success of nutrition programmes in the state.

According to her, “KSMC is one of the committee’s partners but we want to do more to reach out to more parents and caregivers in any part of the state with critical information on ways to prevent malnutrition.

“The state is also implementing various nutrition programmes and projects that we want residents of the state to be aware of and how to access such services.

“We are, therefore, soliciting for a stronger partnership with KSMC to provide the needed platform to sensitise residents on malnutrition and promote good nutrition practices among women, adolescent and children.’’

She called for the creation of a budget line for nutrition sensitive activities in the 2023 budget to enable KSMC implement public enlightenment programmes.

The Assistant State Nutrition Officer, Adams George, said that the nutrition situation in the state was a huge cause of concern considering the number of malnourished children in the state.

The Managing Director of KSMC, Malam Ibrahim Ismail-Ahmed, represented by Director Programmes, Mrs Esther Kozah, observed the efforts of the state government to address the problem of malnutrition.

He promised to support the creation of a budget line to adequately perform the task of awareness creation and social mobilisation.