Almajiri
No fewer than thirty (30) children have been confirmed dead, while more than 2,000 are currently receiving attention for acute malnutrition in various medical centres across Nasarawa State.
The Nasarawa State Primary Health Care Development Agency’s Nutrition Officer, Hajiya Halima Yusuf, confirmed this at a two-day meeting of the state Committee on Food and Nutrition on Sunday in Lafia.
She explained that the children had in the last three months been admitted to 15 health care centres in 13 Local Government Areas and 18 development areas of the state following the increase in the cases of acute malnutrition and other diseases due to inadequate nutrition.
“About 30 children have lost their lives to acute malnutrition and over 2,000 children are currently receiving medical attention in various medical centres across the state,” Yusuf said.
She further explained that as a result of the rising cases of malnutrition, the state Primary Health Care Development Agency had embarked on an intensive community management of acute malnutrition programme across the state in order to address the crisis.
Earlier, the Nasarawa State Coordinator, Committee on Food and Nutrition, Mr Abdul Osama, emphasized the need for more campaigns on the importance of nutritious food.
On his part, the State Chairman, Committee on Food and Nutrition, Mr Emmanuel Alidzi, appealed for urgent action to address the cases of malnutrition in the state.
The Nutrition Focal Persons in the local government areas also called for budgetary provisions for nutrition at the local government level.
The Nasarawa State Committee on Food and Nutrition drew focal persons from all the 13 local government areas of the state including the media, civil society groups, ministries and agencies and NGOs, with the state Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning coordinating.
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