Sani Dutsinma
United Nations Children’s Fund UNICEF has donated 10,500 cartons of Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) to the Kebbi State Government to support the treatment of children suffering from Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) across eleven Local Government Areas of the state.
The intervention was officially rolled out in Birnin Kebbi, where UNICEF described the donation as a critical response to the growing challenge of child malnutrition in the state.
Speaking at the event, the Chief of UNICEF Field Office, Sokoto, represented by the Nutrition Officer, Alhaji Isah Ibrahim, said the initiative was designed to save the lives of thousands of children under the age of five affected by severe acute malnutrition.
He noted that findings from the 2025 SMART Survey and IPC-AMN analysis revealed that Kebbi State recorded a stunting rate of 40.9 percent and a wasting rate of 11.3 percent, underscoring the need for urgent intervention.
According to him, projections indicate that approximately 130,000 children under the age of five could suffer from Severe Acute Malnutrition in 2026 if immediate and sustained measures are not implemented.
The UNICEF official disclosed that 61 Primary Health Care Centres across the affected Local Government Areas have been selected to implement the first phase of the programme.
He explained that the 10,500 cartons of therapeutic food already delivered would provide life-saving treatment for thousands of vulnerable children and significantly reduce child mortality associated with malnutrition.
Isah Ibrahim stressed the importance of transparency, accountability, and effective monitoring in the implementation of the intervention, warning that the supplies must reach the intended beneficiaries without diversion.
He emphasized that the Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food is strictly meant for children diagnosed with Severe Acute Malnutrition and should be administered through designated health facilities.
Receiving the donation on behalf of the state government, Nasir Idris expressed appreciation to UNICEF for the timely humanitarian support.
The governor said the intervention aligns with his administration’s commitment to strengthening healthcare delivery, improving nutrition, expanding access to education, enhancing water and sanitation services, and promoting food security across the state.
Idris reaffirmed the readiness of the Kebbi State Government to provide the necessary counterpart support to expand the programme and intensify efforts aimed at eliminating child malnutrition.
He also assured UNICEF and development partners of the government’s commitment to ensuring that the donated supplies are effectively utilized to improve the health and survival of vulnerable children across the state.