A recent report shows that Nigeria has the second highest burden of stunted children in the world, with a national prevalence rate of 32 per cent of children under five years.
The stunted growth is as a result of malnutrition, which according to UNICEF is a direct or underlying cause of 45 per cent of all deaths of under five children.
Currently, an estimated two million children in Nigeria suffer from Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM), while only two out of every 10 children affected, currently receive treatment.
A study shows that high rate of malnutrition pose significant public health and development challenges for a country.
According to the 2018 National Demographic Health Survey, 48 .1 per cent of the estimated 1.9 million children under five years in Kaduna State are stunted (too short for their age).
The survey also shows that 4.8 per cent of the children were wasted (low weight for height).
Data from the State Primary Health Care Development Board shows that 96,403 SAM children were admitted at various Community Management of Acute Malnutrition, between 2017 and May 2021.
Out of the figure, 71,653 children were cured, while 1,373 died as a result of diseases within the period.
A total of 1,041 were yet to recover, 9,459 defaulted on treatment, 1,478 referred to stabilisation centres, while others were still undergoing treatment.
To strengthen ongoing efforts towards addressing the scourge, Gov. Nasir El-Rufai, recently launched the State Policy on Food and Nutrition and the State Multi-Sectoral Strategic Plan of Action on Nutrition (KDMSPAN), 2020-2024.
El-Rufai, who was represented by the Commissioner of Health, Dr Amina Muhammad-Baloni, said that the goal of the policy was to reduce malnutrition through scaling up nutrition activities with impact and low-cost intervention.
Some of the targets of the policy are to reduce the number of stunting in children under five years by 50 per cent, and low birth weight by 30 per cent.
It also targets to reduce anaemia in women of reproductive age by 50 per cent, increase exclusive breastfeeding rates in the first six months to at least 50 per cent.
The policy also aims to reduce the proportion of hunger and malnutrition by 30 percent and increase appropriate complementary feeding practices from 8.4 per cent in 2015 to 40 per cent by 2025.
The policy further outlines the roles and responsibilities of all stakeholders in its implementation, adding that the KDMSPAN reflects the multi-sectoral dimension of nutrition and the multi-sectoral approach designed to address the scourge.
“Our goal is to ensure that the policy is fully operational in the state, and that all activities outlined in KDMSPAN are fully implemented.
“I, therefore, call on all stakeholders, particularly development partners and the organised private sector, to commit their resources and efforts, to the realisation of the goals and objectives of the policy and the strategic plan.
“The government will make efforts to ensure that all line ministries, departments and agencies, as well as the 23 local government areas, access the funds allocated for nutrition in the budget,” the governor said.
In the same vein, Mr Thomas Gyang, the Commissioner, Planning and Budget Commission, said that the policy was in line with the state’s vision of ensuring that all people were nutritionally adequate, and food secured.
This, according to him, will be achieved through a strong multi-sectoral collaboration and sustainable interventions.
He said that in spite the constraint of funding, the government was committed to ensuring development through the implementation of sensitive and specific intervention activities in the state.
“So far, a total of 2.7 million mothers and caregivers have accessed various Infant and Young Child Feeding services at community and health facilities between 2018 and 2020.
“Similarly, a total of 868,155 mothers have accessed Maternal Infant and Young Child Feeding Nutrition services in 16 local government areas in 2020,” the commissioner said.
Similarly, Dr Zainab Muhammad-Idris, Project Coordinator, World Bank-Supported Accelerating Nutrition Result in Nigeria, explained that the KDMSPAN sets out realistic and achievable goals and objectives.
According to her, the goals and objectives will be the driving force behind all the actions and activities of nutrition interventions in the state.
“The overall goal of the plan is to improve the nutritional status of people in the state, particularly children below the age of 23 months, lactating mothers, pregnant women, and adolescents,” she said.
She said that the KDMSPAN, which requires N1.4 billion to implement, comprises six result areas and eight strategic objectives that the state government is committed to implement.
She listed the result areas as food and nutrition, care-giving capacity, quality health services, food and nutrition, insecurity, malnutrition, and resource allocation.
Also, the Chief of Staff to Gov. El-Rufai, Mr Muhammad Abdullahi, described the incidence of malnutrition among children in the state as an “irony” considering the huge agricultural produce in the state.
Abdullahi said that food insecurity and malnutrition, place the people of the state at a huge disadvantage in the future, stressing that food and nutrition were critical components of society’s human capital development.
According to him, the food and nutrition policy and the strategic plan of action are part of efforts to kick malnutrition out of Kaduna State.
On his part, Mr Sunday Okoronkwo, Project Manager, Civil Society Scaling-Up Nutrition in Nigeria (CS-SUNN) lauded the state for the progress made so far.
Okoronkwo particularly commended the state government for the approval and implementation of six months maternity leave with pay and the ongoing efforts to sustain it through a legal framework.
He also commended the government for approving additional N500 million for the procurement of ready-to-use therapeutic food in the 2021 budget.
He said that the CS-SUNN was particularly impressed with the reduction in the incidence of SAM from 41.7 per cent in 2013 to 4.8 per cent in 2018, representing about 90 per cent reduction in five years.
The project manager, however, stressed that much need to be done in spite of the milestone being achieved in the fight against malnutrition in the state.
Okoronkwo particularly said that the state needed about N5 billion to treat SAM children at N60,800 per child.
He said that so far, only N100 million was cash backed, out of the N300 million allocated for nutrition intervention in 2020, adding that the needed funds must be mobilised to implement the policy and the KDMSPAN.
“We are happy that a road map has been developed with the support of several partners CS-SUNN, UNICEF, Save the Children Internal (SCI), Alive and Thrive (Fhi 360).
“The essence is for us to have a pathway, so that we can mobilise the needed resources and strategically spend the money to achieve the kind of result that we will be proud of,” he said.
Mrs Sarah Kwasu, Team Leader, Alive and Thrive, said that the policy and the strategic plan of action would provide the needed coordination and guide for a cost-effective intervention that would create the needed result.
Sharing similar views, Mr Farouk Abdulkadir, Advocacy and Communication Coordinator, SCI, said building strong partners among stakeholders was key to winning the war against malnutrition in Kaduna State.
Abdulkadir reiterated SCI commitment to partnering with Kaduna State Government to ensure that the policy and strategic plan of action were fully operational and implemented.
Undoubtedly, with concerted efforts the high prevalence of malnutrition in Kaduna State will be reduced. (NANFeatures)
** If used, please credit the writer as well as the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
