Gombe State has says there will be no stock-out of child nutrition supplements in 2026, following Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya’s payment of ₦500 million in counterpart funding.
The State Nutrition Officer, Muhammad Bawa, disclosed this during a media engagement organised by the Gombe State Primary Health Care Development Agency.
Mr. Bawa said; “the combined funding from the state government and UNICEF, under the Accelerated Nutrition Results in Nigeria initiative, would ensure adequate provision of Small Quantity Lipid-Based Nutrient Supplements, SQLNS, Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food, RUTF, albendazole tablets, Vitamin A supplements and micronutrient powder.
“These interventions are all essential nutrition services designed to improve the wellbeing of communities across Gombe State,” he said.
Mr. Bawa said that, “Routine immunisation and Child Health Week activities remain critical in protecting children from vaccine-preventable diseases such as measles, yellow fever and hepatitis.
“All the services are offered free of charge at all the 114 wards of the 11 LGAs, through government and partner support. Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Week Begins 13 December.”
He said; “the forthcoming round of the Bi-Annual Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Week, MNCHW, is set to be flagged off in Swa Ward of Balanga Local Government Area, with full implementation running from Saturday, 13 December to Wednesday, 17 December and would be integrated with the Supplementary Immunisation Plus Days.”
The two rounds each year is held with the first implemented in May/June, while the second round, is usually scheduled for December.
The Gombe State Nutrition Officer said during the week, children aged six to 59 months would receive Vitamin A supplementation.
The blue capsule (100,000 IU) is for children aged six to 11 months, while the red capsule (200,000 IU) is for children aged 12 to 59 months.
“Deworming tablets will also be administered, Children aged 12–23 months: 200 mg (half tablet), Children aged 24–59 months: 400 mg (full tablet), expectant mothers will receive antenatal care, including multiple micronutrient supplements, folic acid and fersolate,” Mr. Bawa said.
He said children aged 9 to 59 months would also be screened for malnutrition and classified into three categories: Severe Acute Malnutrition, SAM, Moderate Acute Malnutrition, MAM and well-nourished.
“SAM cases will be referred to Outpatient Therapeutic Centres and treated with RUTF. MAM cases will be managed at facility nutrition corners, where mothers and caregivers will receive counselling on complementary feeding to prevent deterioration to SAM. Well-nourished children will receive continued guidance on maintaining proper nutrition,” Mr. Bawa said.
According to him, Small Quantity Lipid-Based Nutrient Supplements are used to prevent children from slipping from good nutritional status or MAM into severe malnutrition, while the Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food is used for treat SAM.
Mr Bawa said; “the interventions would be carried out across all 114 wards of the state, with each ward hosting two operational health facilities throughout the five-day exercise.”
In addition, Mama-to-Mama support agents will move through communities to provide Vitamin A and deworming tablets to eligible children and that Health education on proper household hygiene and routine immunisation would also form part of the week-long activities.