Mothers and caregivers in Kwami Local Government Area of Gombe State have expressed profound appreciation to UNICEF, the Gombe State Government and Progressing Action on Resilient Systems for Nutrition through Innovation and Partnership, PARSNIP’s Small Quantity Lipid-Based Nutrient Supplements (SQLNS) programme.
Speaking during an interaction with some of the mothers, the women described the supplement as a life-changing intervention for young children and transforming their children’s health, energy levels and overall wellbeing.
The SQLNS supplement is designed to prevent malnutrition in children between the ages of six months to 23 months.
A mother of two, Sa’adatu Bello, said the changes were remarkable in both her children, who had shown visible strength and more active since they began taking the SQLNS, which they mix in food twice daily.
“Before, children used to stool constantly, but with this supplement, the story has changed. They are now strong, agile, and more families are accepting, with families traveling long distances to access the service,” said Mrs. Bello.
She, however, urged the government to ensure steady supplies as demand continued to grow due to the success of the programme.
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Another mother, Husseina Babayo, testified that her daughter, who previously struggled with poor appetite and frequent illness, was now eating well and rarely fell sick.
“After three months, we returned to the hospital, and they confirmed she was now healthy. I felt so relieved,” she said, appealing for an uninterrupted supply of the supplement.
At the Mallam Sidi Primary Healthcare Centre, Facility Manager, Mrs. Afodiya Alfayo said the centre integrates nutrition counseling into antenatal and immunisation sessions, with a focus on reducing malnutrition and anemia in pregnant and nursing mothers.
Mrs. Alfayo said the SQLNS had “tremendous impact,” particularly because it contains nutrients that are often lacking in the local diet.
According to her, between 250 and 300 children benefit from the supplement each month at the facility, while over 1,000 access nutrition services there.
She, however, acknowledged persistent shortages, especially with more awareness increasing, but with a decrease in supply, not enough to meet demand.
Meanwhile, the Gombe State Nutrition Officer, Mr. Muhammad Bawa explained that the SQLNS programme was currently being implemented in Dukku, Kwami, and Kaltungo LGAs, targeting children aged six to 23 months.
Mr. Bawa said the project, alongside the Orange Flesh Sweet Potato initiative, which provides Vitamin A-rich processed potato powder for mothers and children, is aimed at preventing malnutrition from an early age.
“We have monitored this project for five years, and the impact has been significant. Lives have been saved, and women are being empowered as community volunteers and small-scale producers,” he said, recommending that the interventions be scaled up to more LGAs.
UNICEF Nutrition Specialist at the Bauchi Flield Office, Mrs Philomena Irene said so far, 106,248 thousand have been reached with the SQLNS from 2023 to 2025 in three LGAs, while 20,347 caregivers had also been trained on the effective use of MUAC tapes and proper MIYCN practices.