Anaemia: CS-SUNN Urges Kaduna Govt To Leverage Child Nutrition Fund

The Civil Society Calling Up Nutrition in Nigeria (CS-SUNN) has urged the Kaduna State government to leverage the Child Nutrition Fund to procure Multiple Micronutrient Supplements (MMS) and make them accessible to all pregnant women in the state.

Rising from a one day media engagement for improved reportage on the uptake of multiple MMS for anaemia prevention and control in Nigeria held in Kaduna, CS-SUNN averred that now is the time for Kaduna State to take bold action through strategic investments in MMS to drastically reduce anaemia rates, improve pregnancy outcomes, and give the next generation in the state a healthier start in life.

The Child Nutrition Fund (CNF) is a catalytic financing matching fund by UNICEF that enables national governments to double their investments in essential nutrition commodities including MMS, for the prevention and treatment of anaemia.

According to the executive secretary of CS-SUNN, Mr Sunday Okoronkwo, in a press statement issued at the end of the engagement, Through the Child Nutrition Fund, the Kaduna State Government can harness a unique co-financing mechanism to double its investments in nutrition commodities like MMS and other interventions.

He said the state government should strengthen the integration of MMS into Antenatal Care Protocols in health facilities, ensuring that every pregnant woman receives comprehensive micronutrient support.

“It is also essential to equip healthcare providers with the necessary training to effectively deliver MMS and educate mothers on the importance of this intervention. Establishing robust systems for monitoring MMS distribution to prevent stockouts and ensure that supplies are consistently available in both rural and urban healthcare facilities is key,” he said.

Mr Okoronkwo assured that in the coming weeks, CS-SUNN will contribute to these efforts by building the capacity of civil society organizations to effectively track and monitor MMS coverage, uptake, and adherence among pregnant women, thereby enhancing data availability and supporting evidence-based advocacy for improved maternal nutrition.

He disclosed that findings from the 2023-24 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS), shows that 40.7% of children under five in Kaduna State are stunted, which is an increase from the previous 37% reported in 2018 while nationally, the data revealed that 40% of children under five are stunted and that 55% of women of reproductive age suffer from anemia, marking an increase that demands urgent action.

Okoronkwo emphasized the wide-ranging consequences of these conditions, which impede cognitive development, weaken immunity, and increase vulnerability to illness. He underscored that malnutrition not only impacts the immediate well-being of children but also hampers long-term productivity. Highlighting the benefits of Multiple Micronutrient Supplements (MMS), he said that research has shown MMS to be effective in reducing anemia and promoting healthy pregnancy outcomes.

Earlier in her remarks during the engagement, Kaduna State Nutrition Officer, Mrs. Ramatu Musa Haruna, urged the media to play an active role in promoting the uptake of MMS as an essential step towards combating malnutrition.

She disclosed that the state government had recently allocated N400 million as a commitment to child nutrition funding aimed at procuring and distributing MMS to pregnant women across the state.

Project coordinator for the World Bank-supported Accelerating Nutrition Results in Nigeria (ANRiN) project, Dr. Zainab Muhammad Kwaru, detailed ongoing efforts to distribute MMS at the community level, adding that “Since 2022, ANRiN has delivered over 16 million doses of MMS through non-state actors who reach pregnant women and adolescent girls by going house to house across Kaduna’s 23 Local Government Areas.”

Kwaru also disclosed that a blueprint for training healthcare providers at health facilities is being developed to ensure consistent access to MMS.