Donations lift 40,000 Bauchi children out of malnutrition

Stakeholders in Bauchi State have disclosed that the collaboration between the state government, the United Nations Children’s Fund and the United States Government has contributed significantly to the fight against malnutrition in the state.

The stakeholders said the partnership had supported nutrition interventions targeting children, pregnant women and communities across the state.

Speaking during an interaction with Arewa PUNCH on Wednesday, the Nutrition Specialist, UNICEF Bauchi Field Office, Philomena Irene, said more than 40,000 children aged between six and 23 months had benefited from nutrition support provided through a grant from the US government.

Irene said the beneficiaries received small-quantity lipid-based nutrient supplements aimed at preventing malnutrition among children within the critical first 1,000 days of life.

She added that more than 6,000 mothers and fathers had also been trained on nutrition, good health practices and the prevention of malnutrition.

According to the UNICEF Nutrition Specialist, “From six to 23 months, we have been able to train over 6,000 mothers and fathers on good health, the provision of excellence and public health messages on the prevention of malnutrition and other interventions.”

She revealed that the programme also strengthened the capacity of frontline health workers, logistics and information management systems, as well as community-based nutrition structures at the local government level.

Irene stressed, “With this support, we have trained over 50 healthcare workers at the facility level on the provision of screening and supplementation.

“We have also been able to strengthen the logistics information management system and the district health information management system with the support from the US government,” she added.

The Nutrition Specialist explained that the intervention had also strengthened food and nutrition committees at the local government level, enabling them to take ownership of nutrition programmes.

She pointed out that the local governments had been encouraged to commit funds to nutrition interventions, including the procurement of nutrition commodities and micronutrient supplements.

Irene further disclosed that advocacy meetings had been held with state legislators and local government chairmen to encourage increased commitment and the establishment of budget lines for nutrition-specific and nutrition-sensitive activities.

The specialist, while highlighting the importance of the first 1,000 days of a child’s life, described the period from pregnancy until the child reaches two years as a critical “window of opportunity.”

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According to her, rapid brain, muscular, skeletal and vital organ development occurs during the period, making adequate nutrition essential to a child’s long-term development.

She warned that inadequate nutrition during the period could have long-term consequences on children’s health, development and ability to compete later in life.

Irene said investment in nutrition during the first 1,000 days could also reduce government’s expenditure on healthcare and education in the future, insisting that adequate funding, strategic planning and sustained interventions were necessary to protect children during the critical period.

Also speaking, the Executive Chairman of the Bauchi State Primary Health Care Development Board, Dr Rilwanu Mohammed, said community volunteers trained by the state government in collaboration with UNICEF under the Mama2Mama and Fathers for Good Health initiatives had intensified household sensitisation and referral activities.

Mohammed said the volunteers were equipped with the knowledge and skills to identify early signs of malnutrition and educate families on appropriate nutrition and healthcare practices.

He explained that the Mama2Mama initiative enabled trained volunteers to visit households and sensitise women on the dangers and symptoms of malnutrition.

According to him, the volunteers educate mothers to watch out for signs, including poor growth, failure to gain height or weight, weight loss and unhealthy-looking skin, while encouraging them to take affected children to health facilities for proper assessment and treatment.

He disclosed that the intervention had contributed to reducing cases of malnutrition in communities.

“Our village heads have been encouraging us in this case. Sometimes, some mothers even come to our houses for advice if they notice that their children are developing a lack of appetite or any form of sickness, and we refer them to the nearest health facility,” Mohammed said.

On her part, a Mama2Mama volunteer from Dankade community in Darazo Local Government Area, Fatima Galadima, said volunteers regularly visited households to educate mothers on the dangers of malnutrition and appropriate feeding practices.

She said when children with symptoms of malnutrition were identified, the volunteers educated their mothers on nutritious foods that could be prepared at home where the condition was not severe.

Galadima added that the volunteers faced minimal challenges because of the awareness created in the communities and the support received from religious and traditional leaders.

According to her, some husbands also supported the initiative by encouraging volunteers to visit their wives regularly and reminding them about health and nutrition advice.