Kaduna Targets Early Childhood Development with New Nutrition and Breastfeeding Initiative
By Uangbaoje Alex, Kaduna
In a major push to improve child survival and development outcomes, the Kaduna State Government has launched the First 1,000 Days of Life Initiative as part of activities to mark the 2025 World Breastfeeding Week.
Speaking at the official launch, Deputy Governor Dr. Hadiza Sabuwa Balarabe described the initiative as a game-changing, multi-sectoral approach to tackle the most critical phase in a child’s life from conception to the age of two.
“The first 1,000 days are foundational. What we do during this period determines whether a child merely survives or thrives,” Dr. Balarabe said.
This year’s World Breastfeeding Week, themed “Prioritise Breastfeeding: Create a Sustainable Support System,” reinforces Kaduna State’s focus on maternal and child nutrition.
The Deputy Governor stressed the need for strong, supportive systems at every level from families to employers to policymakers to enable mothers to breastfeed successfully and raise healthy children.
Despite growing awareness, breastfeeding rates in Kaduna remain low. Only 41% of infants in the state are exclusively breastfed, according to the 2021 Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS). The state’s new initiative seeks to reverse this trend through targeted interventions across health, nutrition, sanitation, and social protection.
The programme includes a package of services such as postnatal care for mothers and babies, early initiation of breastfeeding within the first hour of birth, and exclusive breastfeeding for six months. It also promotes micronutrient supplementation, routine immunisation, early learning stimulation, and responsive caregiving.
Additional components include access to clean water and hygiene facilities, birth registration, and enrolment of vulnerable households in health insurance schemes.
“These efforts speak directly to Governor Uba Sani’s vision of building a resilient health system and advancing human capital development in Kaduna State,” the Deputy Governor noted.
UNICEF’s Chief of Field Office in Kaduna, Dr. Gerida Birikila praised the initiative and reaffirmed the agency’s support.
“The first 1,000 days of life are the foundation of everything. Breastfeeding saves lives and it must be promoted, protected and supported at every level,” she said.
To sustain public awareness, the state will host a series of activities throughout the week, including webinars, media broadcasts, community roadshows, and advocacy dialogues aimed at encouraging breastfeeding and early childhood care.
Dr. Balarabe closed her remarks with a call to action for all stakeholders from political leaders and employers to families and communities to support breastfeeding mothers and create enabling environments for children to thrive.
“Investing in breastfeeding is one of the smartest investments any society can make in health, in education, in economic growth, and in human dignity,” she said.
The First 1,000 Days Initiative positions Kaduna State as a frontrunner in addressing early childhood challenges and could serve as a model for similar interventions across Nigeria.
