Child Malnutrition: UNICEF, Jigawa, Approves N500 Million For RUTF
By:Usman Mohammed Zaria
Jigawa state executive council has approved the release of Two hundred and fifty million naira a matching grant for the procurement of Ready to Use therapeutic Food (RUTF) to fight acute child malnutrition in the state.
The State Chief Nutrition Officer, Saidu Umar stated this while speaking to newsmen shortly after the approval of the funds.
He explained that, UNICEF has already approved its grant of Two hundred and fifty million Naira fwhich made the total money to N500 million for the procurement of the commodity.
Saidu noted that, under the agreement UNICEF will facilitate and supervise the process of the procurement of RUTF and equally assis in it’s management and distribution at various Centres For Management of Accurate Malnutrition.
According to him, about 10,000 suffering from acute malnutriton in the state will benefit from the commodity.
He added that, beside RUTF the state is also supporting various program to enhance material and child nutrition in the state for addressing the high rate of Child Malnutrition and stunting.
Also speaking, the chairman of Civil Society working around Nutrition in Jigawa state known as Jigawa Coalition of Civil Societies on Nutrition, Comrade Shuaibu Musa Kafin Gana described the approval as an action that will save many lives.
” Already all the 67 CMAM centres in the state are out of the stuck, now our hope is rekindle, RUTF will soon be available for curing malnurished children in the state”
He commented UNICEF and Jigawa state on their dogged collaboration in tackling the menace of child malnutrition.
