UNICEF Calls for Concerted Effort to End Malnutrition In Northern Nigeria.
By Muhammad Jamil Abubakar
The United Nations Children’s Fund UNICEF, says economic growth, poverty reduction and access to skilled health workers are factors for ending malnutrition of infants in Northern Nigeria.
UNICEF Bauchi Field Office reiterated this during a two day media dialogue on age appropriate complementary feeding for children aged 6 to 23 months in Gombe.
The event was organized by UNICEF for journalists from Adamawa, Bauchi, Gombe, Jos and Taraba States.
Addressing journalists during a field trip to Kalorgu Primary Health Care Center in Kaltungo Local Government Council, where women are taught how to make home grown nutrition food, the UNICEF Nutrition Specialist Bauchi Field Office, Philomena Irene said UNICEF works to prevent malnutrition by supporting the education and counselling of mothers and caregivers on how to adequately feed their children, and by providing free micronutrient supplements to children and pregnant women.
She said within the period of 6 to 23 months infants should be fed with breast milk and complementary foods to help them grow healthier.
Some of the mothers interviewed by Radio Nigeria at the Kalorgu Primary Health Care Center Samira Yakubu and Sandra Bala expressed their appreciation to the UNICEF for encouraging exclusive breast feeding and introducing complementary foods made from orange fleshed potatoes and other nutrients dense foods.
They however called on the Government to invest more in Child Nutrition Fund CNF, which will go along way in reducing the rate of malnutrition and Maternal Mortality.
