NGO Accelerates Scale Up Of Maternal, Infant Nutrition In Borno

A non-governmental organisation (NGO ), fhi360, in collaboration with Alive and Thrive and the Borno State government, has accelerated the scale-up of maternal, infant, and young child nutrition in Maiduguri and nine other local government areas of the state, where malnutrition has drastically reduced.

The senior technical adviser Training and Capacity building fhi360 and Alive and Thrive, Gloria Eneh disclosed this yesterday in her paper presentation outlining some of the achievements of the NGO alongside partners such as nutrition initiatives to save lives, prevention of illness and improving the health and well-being of mother, child and adolescent not only in Maiduguri , but also in the other nine LGAs of the state.

Eneh said they have successfully produced and distributed more than 24,000 maternal, infant, and young child nutrition in Nigeria (MIYCN)  job aids and have sensitised over 15 media practitioners in print, television, and radio in MIYCN reporting and advocacy.

She commended the Borno State Ministry of Health, State Primary Healthcare Development Board, Borno State Ministry of Budget and Planning, NAFDAC, UNICEF, and Community Base NgOs for their support in achieving success.

“ Alive and Thrive is a global initiative to save lives, prevent illness,  improve the health and well-being of mothers, children and adolescents by using evidence based approaches in collaboration with government and other partners at global, regional, national and community levels,” Eneh said.

She said that in the local government areas of the state, the nutrition programme has drastically reduced malnutrition, including Bama, Bayo, Hawul, Biu , Jere , Kaga, Konduga,  Mobbar and Magumeri.

Director of community and Family Healthcare Services of the state primary healthcare development board,  Dr Abdulwahab Mala who represented the executive secretary of the board, Prof Mohammed Arab, commended fhi360, Alive and Thrive for their overwhelming support in preventing acute malnutrition not only in Maiduguri, but in nine other LGAs despite the challenges of insecurity, and urged them to include the other 17 local government areas of the state in their next project.

Fati Ali, director disease control and immunisation also from the state primary healthcare development board appreciated fhi360 and Alive and Thrive for giving Borno State the ownership to implement their activities.

Earlier in his opening remark, the permanent secretary of the Borno State Ministry of Budget and Planning, Dr Solomon Peter, who is also the chairman of the Borno State Committee on Food and Nutrition, expressed gratitude for the support provided by fhi360 and Alive and Thrive in MIYCN.