Health • Created November 29, 2016 08:49

Malnutrition: Northern states shocked over lack of “power food”

Policy makers from states across northern Nigeria visited a site for treatment of acute malnutrition in Kano and expressed shock that “power food” fed to children on treatment are inadequate and a threat to malnourished children. “We are deeply touched and worried that inadequate Ready to Use Therapeutic Foods (RUTF) across the states is a […]

Malnutrition: Northern states shocked over lack of “power food”
Malnutrition: Northern states shocked over lack of “power food”

Policy makers from states across northern Nigeria visited a site for treatment of acute malnutrition in Kano and expressed shock that “power food” fed to children on treatment are inadequate and a threat to malnourished children.

“We are deeply touched and worried that inadequate Ready to Use Therapeutic Foods (RUTF) across the states is a threat to saving lives of children with conditions of severe acute malnutrition, thus defeating the efforts in addressing childhood malnutrition and mortality,” the policy makers said in a communiqué

At least 22 advisors,  legislators and high-level policy makers signed the communiqué in Kano, committing to ensure their state governments provides funding to pay for RUTF so that treatment of malnourished children can continue.

They also want their state governments to scale up purchase of RUTF in 2017 and explore local production of “power food”, currently shipped in from South Africa.

The states include Adamawa, Zamfara, Jigawa, Bauchi, Gombe, Yobe, Kaduna, Kebbi, Sokoto and Kano, and met at a two-day summit on nutrition financing organised by the Federal Ministry of Budget and Planning in collaboration with the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC).

The policy makers also plan to arrange visit to malnutrition-treatments for state legislators, commissioners and executives to “better understand the severity and complexity of the malnutrition crisis in our states.”

“Undernutrition remains high in Northern Nigeria with about 2.2 million out of the 2.5 million severely acute malnourished children being from Northern Nigeria,” their communiqué read.

Among resolutions, the policy makers backed state houses of assembly creating dedicated budget line for nutrition. They also want states to domesticate and implement the National Policy for Food and Nutrition, and a Nutrition Plan of Action, both of which have been neglected since they were formulated.

Signatories to the communiqué include:

  • ·        Umar Bakari, Special Adviser on Finance and Budget to Adamawa State Governor
  • ·        Adamu Muhammad Garun Gabas, Permanent Secretary, Jigawa State Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning
  • ·        Hon. Musa Sule Dutse, Member of Jigawa State House of Assembly
  • ·        Bello Gidado, Special Adviser on Budget and Planning to the Bauchi State Governor
  • ·        Yahuza Adamu, Permanent Secretary, Bauchi State Planning Commission
  • ·        Hon. Abdullahi Sa’ad Abdulkadir, Deputy Majority Leader, Bauchi State House of Assembly
  • ·        Hon. Rabiu Musa, Member, Katsina State House Committee on Appropriation
  • ·        Hon. Nuhu Musa Tama, Member of Bauchi State House of Assembly
  • ·        Zayyanu Sayyadi, Secretary, Zamfara House Appropriation Committee
  • ·        Abubakar Wakili, Director, Gombe State Ministry of Economic and Planning
  • ·        Idi Barde Gubana, Yobe State Honourable Commissioner for Budget and Planning
  • ·        Alhaji Mansur Manu Soro, Special Adviser to the Bauchi State Governor on Donors and NGOs,
  • ·        Salisu U. Maraji, Director Admin & Finance, Kaduna State Ministry of Budget
  • ·        Hon. Ahmed Mohammed, Chairman, Kaduna State House Committee on Appropriation and Implementation
  • ·        Hon. Dr. Isaac Z. Auta, Member of Kaduna State House Committee on Health
  • ·        Murtala M. Dabo, Special Adviser on Economic to the Kaduna State Governor
  • ·        Umar Usman Kambaza, Kebbi State Commissioner for Health
  • ·        Hon. Bature G. Usman, Chairman Gombe State House Committee on Health & Human Service
  • ·        Mohammed M. Katanga, Secretary Jigawa State House Committee on Health
  • ·        Faruk Namalam, Director, Sokoto State Primary Health Care Development Agency
  • ·        Kubura Ahmad Bichi, Director of Planning and Research, Kano State Planning Commission
  • ·        Hon. Sule A.U, Member of Bauchi State House Committee on Health

Tags