The United Nations Emergency Fund (UNICEF) through its Child Nutrition Fund has handed over to the Plateau State Government 5,392 cartons of Small-Quantity Lipid-Based Nutrient Supplement (SQ-LNS) procured in efforts to combat malnutrition among vulnerable populations in the state.
LEADERSHIP reports that the state government having recognized the importance of good and adequate nutrition in the first 1,000 days of life of children has purchase SQ-LNS in its commitment to foster significant long-term impacts through the implementation of cost-effective nutrition interventions aimed at saving lives and averting childhood suffering.
Governor Caleb Mutfwang, who was represented at the handover ceremony by the deputy governor, Ngo Josephine Piyo, at the new Government House Little Rayfield, commended UNICEF for the partnership they have enjoyed not only in Nutrition but also in Basic Education, Health, Social Protection, and Communication for Development.
According to him, the state is witnessing yet another groundbreaking moment of the Time Is Now administration that matches words with actions by improving the well-being of the people and building on its successes in the nutrition subsector.
The governor pointed out that this initiative aims to prevent malnutrition among children aged 6-23 months and will support dietary supplementation for 80,000 children across the state for five months.
“We are reminding ourselves that the choices we make today directly shape the future of our children, families, and communities as daily consumption of the SQ-LNS amounts to taking a strong stand against malnutrition, chronic diseases, and preventable illnesses.”
The governor pointed out that malnutrition is a nationwide problem, aggravated by security challenges, which exposed vulnerabilities as a people, while pledging that his administration will continue to mobilise resources to tackle malnutrition and put Plateau in a better standing to ensure the optimal nutrition status of its citizens.
He urged stakeholders, partners, and community leaders to join in this effort as the Government can not do it alone, adding that we need to work together as a collective force to raise awareness about the nutritional needs of children in the first 1,000 days of life.
Earlier in her remarks, UNICEF Country Representative in Nigeria Wafaa Saeed lauded the efforts of the Plateau State government in procuring the supplement, adding that daily consumption of SQ-LNS amounts to taking a strong stand against malnutrition, chronic diseases, and preventable illnesses among children.
