In Bauchi State, tragic reports show that four children under the age of five have lost their lives to Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM).
Furthermore, a significant number of 4,384 children diagnosed with SAM have been admitted for treatment at 14 Integrated Management of Acute Malnutrition Centers in the state during the first quarter of 2024.
During a two-day State Committee on Food and Nutrition meeting held in Jos, the Plateau State capital, the State Nutrition Officer, Abubakar Saleh, shared insights on the prevailing nutrition situation in Bauchi State.
Of the total admitted children, only 451 have successfully completed their treatment regimen, Saleh disclosed.
He also mentioned that the state commenced treatment activities in February 2024, following the receipt of a shipment of 17,000 cartons of Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Foods (RUTF) from USAID.
United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) Nutrition facilitator, Jessica Bartholomew, in her address, highlighted that Nigeria harbors the largest population of chronically undernourished children globally.
According to her, “The country is home to 11 million stunted children, and Bauchi State contributes to this number with a stunting rate of 46%, wasting at 9.5%, and 28.2% of children being underweight based on NDHIS 2018 data.”
Pointing out the significance of nutrition in human capital development, Bartholomew emphasized the need for the state government to prioritize addressing nutrition issues, particularly concerning SDG goals related to hunger, child and maternal health, and education.
She underscored that investments in nutrition interventions are essential, as childhood stunting alone can potentially diminish around 10% of accrued life savings.
Dr. Martins Jackson, the Nutrition Officer at UNICEF Bauchi Field Office, stressed the importance of sustaining awareness campaigns on exclusive breastfeeding during the first six months of a child’s life as a measure to combat malnutrition.