UNICEF says 2.8 million children less than five years old, along with pregnant and lactating women in Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe in Northeast Nigeria require urgent nutritional intervention.
The World Agency added that an estimated 1.7 million people across the three states risk being afflicted by acute malnutrition in 2024, as malnutrition remains a dire challenge, threatening the health and future of millions of children.
Also, the 2023 lean season Nutrition and Food Security Surveillance (NFSS) Round 13, conducted across the three states, estimated that the prevalence of global acute malnutrition (GAM) among children under 5 years old in Borno is 10.2 percent, 8.0 percent in Yobe, and 4.0 percent in Adamawa.
It has been estimated that 511,807 children under five suffer from severe acute malnutrition NGOs annually, requiring urgent interventions to save their lives.
The officer-in-charge, UNICEF nutrition manager Mrs Priscilla Bayo, emphasized the importance of a multifaceted approach, noting that a women’s support group has achieved results in Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe states.
“They are not only saving lives but also empowering themselves and their communities. Their courage and determination are a testament to the resilience of the human spirit. As they continue their fight against malnutrition, they are inspiring others to join their cause and create a healthier future for their children,” she said.
On his part, UNICEF’s Chief of Borno field office, Dr. Tushar Rane, said UNICEF is the lead partner for the Nutrition Sector.
“Currently, there are 46 partners (14 international non- governmental organizations (INGOs) and 32 national non-governmental organizations (NNGOs)), as well as 2 observers (MSF and ICRC), supporting nutrition activities in the states alongside other UN agencies.
“Nutrition programmes are integrated within government health facilities where there are 765 outpatient treatment programme (OTP) sites in the BAY states providing treatment for children with SAM without medical complications, and 50 Stabilization Centers (SCs) treating SAM with medical complications. Only 63 people of the 714 wards in the BAY states provide nutrition services.
“With support from UNICEF and donors such as the United Kingdom Government (UKAid) and the German Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), among other donors, Governments across the BAY states are currently supporting 4,383 child nutrition mobilizers (CNMs) supporting malnutrition screening at the community levels. The CNMs are an important link in the nutrition system. They reinforce nutrition best practices in the communities and, from house to house, they build the capacity of mothers to screen their children,” he stated.
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