The Civil Society Scaling Up Nutrition in Nigeria (CSSUNN), a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) has urged the Bauchi State Government to establish more Community Management of Acute Malnutrition (CMAM) centres to curb malnutrition.
Malam Sodangi Chindo, the State Chairman of CSSUNN made the call in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria in Bauchi on Monday.
Chindo, who lamented the poor attention given to malnutrition in the state, revealed that only 16 CMAM centres were established in the state through the effort of UNICEF.
“Presently the state has only 16 CMAM centres across the 323 wards in the 20 local governments areas.
“Government is not doing enough about malnutrition, in the whole of the state; we have only 16 centres to take care of malnutrition and stunting children which is even established by UNICEF, that is not right for the state.
“Government should do more by investing on nutrition to save the children and their mothers.
“There is need for the establishment of more centres to make the provision of Ready-To-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) to treat children with Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM). (NAN)
“These foods are usually given to mothers or caregivers at the Community Management of Acute Malnutrition (CMAM) centres,” he said.
Malam Sodangi also called on the state government to provide budget line fund for nutrition to tackle malnutrition effectively.
“One of the key problems of nutrition in the state is because nutrition do not have budget line fund.
“The funding comes from scattered line ministries and agencies such as Ministry of Women Affairs, Primary Health care delivery; Ministry of health and it is difficult to follow it up for implementation.
“Therefore, if the nutrition has it budget line funding, the rate of malnutrition will reduce drastically,” he said.
He said that CSSUNN had been speaking with policy makers on the need to create budget for nutrition that would militate against malnutrition and stunting.
“We also engage in sensitising and awareness creation to stakeholders, parents, government and the general public on budget fund for nutrition programme and establishment of CMAM centres in the state.
“The organisation also educates on RUTF treatment as its focus on mothers and caregivers about complementary feeding practices and breastfeeding until the child is two years.
He, however, revealed that one of the challenges was the fact that some mothers hardly give the RUTF to their malnourished children.
“We advise, sensitise and educate them on the dangers and the need for the usage,”bhe said. (NAN)
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