The chief of field office UNICEF Kano Mr. Rahma Mohammed Rihood says the fund has Supported government with 8,000 bottles of Vitamin A capsules for the first round of MNCHW campaign.
Mr.Rahma made the disclosure during the flag off of the 2024 maternal newborn child health MNCH week held at at Unguwa Uku PHC Tarauni local government area Kano.
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According to him, the 8,000 bottles of vitamin A supplement is expected to reach 3,080,810 children 6-59 months to boost immunity and reduce childhood morbidities and mortalities.
He stressed that other Interventions include Supporting government to scale up Multiple Micronutrient Supplements (MMS) for prevention of anemia among pregnant women and positive pregnancy outcomes in promotion of Maternal nutrition.
“Support government to scale up Micronutrient Powder (MNP) supplementation for prevention of anaemia in children”
The chief of field office noted that UNICEF served as a Lead technical partner for the development of the State Nutrition policy and multisectoral strategic plan of action for nutrition
“Support Government with development of annual nutrition operational plan with a focus on the first 1,000 days”
He said Kano state, like many states in northern Nigeria, faces several nutrition deprivations.
Mr. Rahma maintained that Kano state, with a population of about 17 million, has over 3.4 million children under five years, out of which more than half (56.9%) are affected by stunting.
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“This translates to about 2 million children affected in absolute numbers with consequences of poor cognitive development and poor productivity at adulthood.”
The chief highlighted that Kano state has a high burden of wasting with over half a million children under five years of age affected, out of which over 120,000 are severely wasted with a high risk of mortality.
“In Kano state, we have high levels of anemia among children and women of reproductive age, with 7 out of 10 children and 4 out of 10 women affected.”
He highlighted that the Kano state government had put modalities in place to address the deprivations, which includes the development of a State Food and Nutrition Policy to provide direction for nutrition program in the state.
Others are Development of a 5-year multisectoral strategic plan of action for nutrition to derive yearly operational plan and budgeting for nutrition program by the government and partners.
“Establishment of Technical Working Group for Nutrition, Conduct of 2024 first round of MNCHW campaign for integrated delivery of Vitamin A supplementation, deworming and iron-folate/Multiple Micronutrient Supplements”
He urged the state government to approve the developed State Food and Nutrition Policy and Multisectoral strategic plan of action for nutrition, provide adequate money for the Child Nutrition Match Fund.
“Kano state needs to provide funding for procurement of sufficient quantities of deworming tablets to complement vitamin A supplementation among children under-five during MNCHW campaign”
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“Provision of RUTF to ensure the functionality of Out-Patient Therapeutic Program (OTP) Sites for treatment of children with severe wasting”