By Umar Sa’id Baúchi
In its efforts to fight child malnutrition in the state, the government of Bauchi State has budgeted the sum of N100m to support children nutrition activities across the 20 local government of the State.
This was revealed by the Executive Chairman of Bauchi State Primary Healthcare Development Board, Dr Rilwanu Mohammed when he received in audience, the Civil Society Scaling Up Nutrition in Nigeria (CS-SUNN) on an advocacy visit.
He said that the State is working to improve the malnutrition indices among children under five years of age considering the alarm raised over severe acute malnutrition in the state, saying the sum of N5 million was allocated to each of the 20 local government councils in the State.
He noted that the recent Nigeria Demographic Health Survey (NDHS), 2023/2024 shows that Bauchi State has a high rate of children with malnutrition but assured that efforts are being made to ensure that the situation was changed positively in order to give Children life.
Also Speaking during the meeting, CS-SUNN Steering Committee Co- Chair, Aji Robinson said that the advocacy visit was push for 6 months paid maternity leave and two weeks paternity leave for nursing mothers and fathers.
“We want a situation where breastfeeding mothers will have the opportunity to breastfeed exclusively for 6 months to burst the immunity of the baby.”
She added that other areas include the need for government to establish breastfeeding corners in workplaces, timely release and proper ultilisation of nutrition funds, saying the campaign needs multi sectoral approach to address the problems of nutrition and maternal health.
The CS-SUNN team also visited the Ministries of Education, Water Resources, Agriculture, Budget, Economic Planning and Multi lateral Coordination, Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs among others.
Advocacy visit to the Executive Secretary, State Primary Healthcare Management Board by members of CS-SUNN is in collaboration with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). #
