Kaduna State to increase nutrition funding by N500m – Official

The Kaduna State Government said on Friday that it would increase nutrition funding with N500 million in addition to the N188 million provided in the state’s 2021 budget.

Malam Salisu Lawal, Director, Development Aid Coordination (DAC), Planning and Budget Commission said this at the opening of the First Quarter Nutrition Partner’s Quarterly Coordination Meeting in Kaduna on Friday.

Lawal said that the nutrition budget line for Kaduna Emergency Nutrition Action Plan (KADENAP) domiciled in the Ministry of Health would amount to N688 million.

He explained that the additional N500 million would be used for the procurement of Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food needed for the treatment of malnourished children.

According to him, the state government is making all efforts to provide the needed funds for nutrition interventions to address the scourge of malnutrition in the state.

“Currently, N188 million is allocated under KADENAP for all nutrition line Ministries, Departments and Agencies to access and implement nutrition activities outlined in the State Multisectoral Strategic Plan of Action on Nutrition.

“Gov. Nasir El-Rufai has approved the upward review of the funding due to the priority accorded to the nutrition sector, to improve the nutritional status of women and children under five years in the state.”

He added that the local government areas had equally increased their budgetary allocations for nutrition interventions in the 2021 Local Government Budget.

He said the development was the outcome of the series of advocacies to the local government commissioner by the State Committee on Food and Nutrition and other development partners.

The director said that PBC, being the coordinating agency of nutrition activities in the state would continue to mobilise internal and external resources and technical support in addressing the scourge of malnutrition in the state.

Mrs Priscilla Dariya, Deputy Director, DAC, said that the quarterly meeting was organised by PBC with support from the World Bank-supported Accelerating Nutrition Result in Nigeria (ANRiN).

Dariya said that the objective of the meeting was to bring together all development partners to look at the successes and challenges recorded in the first quarter.

She added that the aim was also to sustain coordinated efforts toward achieving the state’s goal of reducing malnutrition in the short-run and eradicating it in the long-run.

“The meeting will enable us to receive updates on nutrition interventions implemented by partners in the first quarter, share experiences and innovative ideas that would improve nutrition programming in the state.

“This will enable us to identify emerging opportunities that will accelerate the scaling up of nutrition interventions in the state,” she said.

Also speaking, Dr Zainab Muhammad-Idris, the Project Coordinator ANRiN, commended the state government for making nutrition sector a priority area as indicated with increased investment in the sector.

Muhammad-Idris commended the Planning and budget commission for the effective coordination of nutrition activities in the state.

She pointed out that effective coordination would ensure optimal utilisation of resources, eliminate duplication of efforts, and spread nutrition intervention across the state for maximum results.

She said that the ANRiN project would increase utilisation of quality, cost-effective nutrition services for pregnant and lactating women, adolescent girls, and children zero to five years in Kaduna state.

“The project is also designed to reduce chronic malnutrition, reduce maternal and child mortality rates.

“This will over time increase schools completion and performance, as well as improve labour force productivity in the state,” she said.