Katsina State government has established a special task force to monitor and curb the misuse and illegal sale of Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) and other life-saving nutrition commodities intended for malnourished children.
This was revealed by the executive secretary of the Katsina State Primary Health Care Agency, Dr Shamsudeen Yahaya, during the launch of the state’s annual SMART nutrition survey supported by UNICEF.
RUTF, a nutrient-rich paste used to treat severe acute malnutrition, is being misappropriated and sold on the open market, despite being provided freely by the government and its partners.
Dr. Yahaya described this trend as “deeply troubling,” especially considering these interventions’ high cost and life-saving importance.
“These commodities are not meant to be traded. They are meant to save the lives of our most vulnerable children. To address this, we are setting up a taskforce in all local government areas, with plans to introduce mobile courts to prosecute offenders”, he said.
The move comes amid a broader effort by the Katsina State Government to tackle malnutrition through data-driven strategies and robust health interventions.
According to Dr. Yahaya, the government is working to treat and prevent malnutrition through multi-sectoral collaboration with stakeholders in health, agriculture, women’s affairs, and education.
In addition to the task force, the state has increased its budgetary commitment to nutrition. In 2023 and 2024, it contributed ₦200 million and ₦300 million, respectively, as matching funds for UNICEF-supported interventions.
For 2025, the government has proposed ₦500 million, which UNICEF is expected to match, bringing the total to ₦1 billion for nutrition programming in the state.
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