Malnutrition: Why Access To RUTF Is Crucial

Malnutrition remains a significant public health problem in Nigeria as many families lack physical and economic access to sufficient and nutritious food.

Nigeria ranks number one in Africa with highest number of malnourished children and number two globally.

Malnutrition occurs when a person’s diet does not provide enough nutrients or the right balance of nutrients for optimal health, and this leads stunting, wasting and  underweight.

According to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), out of the 35 million under-five children in Nigeria, 12 million are stunted. (too short for their age)  nine million children are wasted (too thin for their height) and 23.5 million children are anaemic.

The Cadre harmonise 2023 Report revealed that 17.7million Nigerians are currently experiencing food and nutrition insecurity. Lagos, Borno, Kaduna, Katsina, Kano, Jigawa account for the highest burden of hunger, especially among children.

This existing burden is exacerbated by agriculture’s extreme vulnerability to climate change, rise in insecurity, high input cost, poverty and other factors.

In Jigawa State for instance, there is a high burden of malnutrition, with 64 percent of children stunted, 9.6 percent wasted, and 81.9 percent suffering from anemia. Over 80 Percent  of children in the State are experiencing food poverty, lacking a diverse diet to support growth and development.

However,  Jigawa State has been proactive in dealing with the situation especially with the  procurement of 4,672 cartons of Ready to Use Therapeutic Foods (RUTF), treating over 5,000 children.

The Jigawa’s innovative Masaki Nutrition Programme, with 300 community sites fully funded by the government, focuses on malnutrition prevention. The state deployed trained community health workers across the state, making Jigawa the first state in Nigeria to implement such a community nutrition programme.

To this end, UNICEF has reiterated it’s commitment to enhancing nutrition and health outcomes for the people of Jigawa, especially women and children.

The child’s right organisation recently handed over 12,400  cartons of  RUFT to the State Government, which is expected to treat 14,000 children with wasting.

This initiative, funded through the Child Nutrition Fund (CNF), reinforces the unwavering commitment of both partners to improving child health in the State, said UNICEF.

UNICEF Representative, Nigeria, Cristian Munduate, said the initiative, funded through the Child Nutrition Fund (CNF), reinforces the unwavering commitment of both partners to improving child health in the State.

She expressed her admiration for Jigawa State’s efforts, saying “The commitment of Jigawa State under the leadership of the Governor in addressing malnutrition has been exemplary. The Child Nutrition Fund has allowed us to double our impact, ensuring that more children receive the life-saving treatment they need. I sincerely hope other state governments will be encouraged by the commitment shown by Jigawa State and invest in the child nutrition fund to address malnutrition in their respective states.”

Ms. Munduate also announced that “UNICEF will provide Multiple Maternal Supplements (MMS) free of cost for pregnant women in Jigawa State to improve pregnancy outcomes. Our commitment to enhancing nutrition and health outcomes for the people of Jigawa, especially women and children, remains steadfast.”

Speaking further, she noted that over the past three years, Jigawa State has shown remarkable leadership in nutrition, health, and WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) through consistent fund releases, quality service delivery, and creating a strong enabling environment.

“Jigawa State was one of the early adopters of the Child Nutrition Fund, releasing 250 million Naira in 2023. UNICEF matched this amount, enabling the procurement of 12,400 cartons of RUTF. This initiative will treat children with severe wasting, marking the largest contribution by any state in Nigeria under the CNF to date,” she added.

The Governor of Jigawa State, Mallam Umar Namadi, in his remarks while receiving the products in Dutse, Jigawa State, said “UNICEF is our key partner, and we are happy to have seen our partnership becoming even stronger. My government is committed to work for improving the nutritional status of women and children of Jigawa State as it is a matter of their fundamental rights,”

The Child Nutrition Fund (CNF) is a unique match funding instrument in which UNICEF and its partners match government financing of essential nutrition commodities in a ratio of 1:1. This enables states increase the number of commodities available for the prevention and treatment of acute malnutrition.

The CNF helps to contribute to addressing malnutrition by improving access to life-saving nutrition commodities for children and women who need it the most.

According to UNICEF,  five states have provided funds to the CNF, while five states have committed to contributing. Twenty-six (26) states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) are yet to make any formal commitments.