UNICEF Reiterates Commitment to Addressing Malnutrition in Nigeria

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in Thursday reiterates her commitment to addressing the challenges of malnutrition among children in Nigeria to improve their health status.

Dr Zakari Adam, the Chief of Field Office, UNICEF Kaduna, made this known when he led other members of the organisation on an assessment tour to Primary Health Care Centre, Angwan Waje, Keffi, Nasarawa State.

Adam said that the tour was to see things by himself at one of its service centres, the Community Management of Acute Malnutrition (CMAM), Keffi, with the view of addressing any challenge if any.

Adam, who expressed happiness with the commitment of health workers and other community volunteers of the centres toward tackling the challenges among malnourished children, urged them to sustain the tempo.

According to him, the Ready to Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) provided by the UNICEF are given to children is free of charge.

He called on the parents, especially mothers, to avail their children of the opportunity of its CMAM programmes to improve on the health of their children.

“Basically, I came here to see things by myself, and look into our activities, how are they – health workers/community volunteers are succeeding in handling the malnourished children, what are their challenges, among others.

“We have an issue of malnutrition among children that is why UNICEF and the government of Nigeria agreed to carry out some intervention in the area of malnutrition.

“But we cannot do this without full and active participation of the community, so the involvement of the community is key for the success of our programmes, especially in area of addressing malnutrition challenges,” he said.

Adam restated the commitment of the organisation to continue to train and retain health workers and other volunteers of its programmes to improve on the health status of the children and Nigerians.

The chief said that the organisation would continue to support Nigerian government in different areas of health and education, among others, for the overall development of country.

Mrs. Chinwe Ezeife, the Nutrition Specialist, UNICEF Kaduna Field Office, also urged parents to give adequate attention to the nutrition needs of their children.

Ezeife also called on parents and other citizens to always maintain hygiene in the interest of their health and that of their children.

The nutritionist also expressed happiness with the success recorded toward bettering the lives of malnourished children in the area.

The report added that Mr Rabiu Musa, Communication Officer of UNICEF, Kaduna, Mr Gambo Ibrahim, Habiba Umar, the Director, Primary Healthcare Centre and Nutrition Focal Person, Keffi Local Government Council, witnessed the event.