Malnutrition: Stakeholder Canvass Child Nutrition Trust Fund In Jigawa
By: Ahmed Aminu, Dutse
Some stakeholders on nutrition have urged the Jigawa State Government to set up a Children Nutrition Trust Fund to streamline resources to tackle acute malnutrition in the state, which currently stands at 55.7 per cent.
The stakeholders said the trust fund should source money not just from government, but also philanthropists and the private sector.
This was part of the communiqué they issued at the end of a one-day breakfast meeting on the adoption of a Child Nutrition Fund (CNF) and the implementation of six months maternity leave in the state.
The Syndicate reports that the meeting, held in Dutse on Tuesday, was jointly organised by the Civil Society Scaling-up in Nigeria (CS-SUNN) and the United Nations Children Education Fund (UNICEF).
The communiqué, signed by the Chairman of the meeting, Dr Abdullahi Umar Namadi, cited the 2023 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) which indicated that 55.7% of children under five in the state are stunted, 41.9% underweight, and 13.2% wasted.
The participants, therefore, stressed the urgent need for concerted efforts to reduce the alarming malnutrition rates and its resultant poor brain development and reduced productivity of those affected during their adulthood.
They also urged policymakers to show stronger commitment by implementing the six months maternity leave with pay policy for women of reproductive age.
They said that the policy was meant to encourage exclusive breastfeeding, which is the “cheapest and most effective prevention of child malnutrition.”
The stakeholders also demanded the immediate creation of creches and breastfeeding rooms in all ministries, departments, agencies, as well as private organisations across the state to support nursing mothers.
They noted the investments already made by the state government and the House of Assembly in nutrition services, but decried the inadequate and delayed release of budgeted funds for nutrition activities.
The communiqué further recommended the appointment of nutrition desk officers in all ministries, departments and agencies to enhance effective coordination of nutrition programmes, and continuous grassroots sensitisation campaigns to dispel myths and misconceptions about exclusive breastfeeding.
The participants equally advocated for job security and supportive workplaces for mothers, alongside effective monitoring and evaluation of nutrition interventions, including the proposed six months paid maternity leave.
