Gombe State, UNICEF Launch Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Foods to Combat Child Malnutrition

The Gombe State Government, in collaboration with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), has launched 5,830 cartons of Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Foods (RUTF) to treat acute malnutrition among children in the state.

 

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The RUTF, co-funded by the Gombe State Government and UNICEF through the Child Nutrition Fund, is expected to treat approximately 6,529 children suffering from severe wasting.

 

During the official handover of the cartons to the Deputy Governor, Dr. Manassah Daniel Jatau, in Gombe, the Chief of UNICEF Bauchi Field Office, Dr. Nuzhat Rafique, highlighted the significant impact of the Child Nutrition Match Fund.

 

 

Dr. Rafique explained that the Child Nutrition Match Fund was being supported by multiple donors, including the United Kingdom, the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and other partners.

 

The fund, managed by UNICEF, operates on a unique 1:1 match funding model, where UNICEF and its partners match government contributions to essential nutrition commodities.

 

This innovative approach enables governments to double their investments, thereby accelerating the implementation of policies and programmes aimed at preventing, detecting, and treating malnutrition.

 

Dr. Rafique said Gombe State was among the early adopters of the Child Nutrition Match Fund initiative, with the allocation of 175 million naira in 2023 to the fund, which UNICEF matched with an equivalent amount.

 

“Gombe State has, in the past three years, demonstrated exemplary leadership in nutrition and health through consistent fund releases, service delivery, and a strong enabling environment,” said Dr. Rafique.

 

 

She commended the commitment of Gombe State, which made it possible to procure the 5,830 cartons of RUTF.

 

Dr. Rafique also highlighted the severity of malnutrition in Gombe State, saying over 51% of children in the state are stunted, 8.8% are wasted, and 64% of pregnant women suffer from anemia, while more than 80% of children in the state experienced food poverty, which is lack of access to a diverse diet essential for growth and development.

 

Dr. Rafique noted that malnutrition remained a growing issue in Nigeria, driven by factors such as conflict, forced displacement, and increased food insecurity stemming from limited accessibility and affordability.

 

“Nigeria currently has the highest number of malnourished children in Africa and the second-highest globally, with over 9 million children suffering from wasting,” she stated.

 

 

While acknowledging the efforts of the Gombe State Government, Dr. Rafique encouraged further investment in child nutrition, urging the government to allocate additional resources in 2025, which UNICEF would match to enable the procurement of more essential commodities through the Child Nutrition Fund.

 

“It will be beneficial to women and children in the state if we can work together to conduct two rounds of Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health Weeks (MNCHWs) in 2025 and procure sufficient quantities of deworming tablets for all children aged 12-59 months,” Dr. Rafique added.

 

She noted that the partnership between Gombe State and UNICEF underscored the critical importance of collective action in addressing malnutrition and improving the health and well-being of children and women in the region.

 

Receiving the cartons of the RUTF, the Gombe State Deputy Governor, Dr. Jatau said the supplies were being provided through a collaborative initiative between the Gombe State Government and UNICEF, aimed at combating child malnutrition across the state.

 

Dr. Jatau also gave the assurances that the RUTF would be utilized effectively to reduce malnutrition among children in the state.