From Sola Ojo, Kaduna

Project Manager, Kaduna State Emergency Nutrition Action Plan (KADENAP), Umar Bambale said on Tuesday that the State Government has approved the release of N500 million for the procurement of Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) for treaacutelyte malnourished children.

Umar who revealed t s in Kaduna at a One-day Nutrition Partners’ second quarter coordination and review meeting said, the amount had been approved within the second quarter but await release and cash-backing for the procurement and treatment of the identified children.

He added that the government had also released N134 million within the quarter to KADENAP for the implementation of nutrition programmes quickly clarified that, the RUTF was an energy-dense, mineral- and vitamin-enriched food, specifically designed to treat severe acute malnourished children.

According to him, the number of new admissions of severe acute malnourished children at the Community Management of Acute Malnutrition (CMAM) sites have increased from 2,796 in the first quarter to 8,157 in the second quarter.

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The project manager also said that the number of children treated also increased from 2,730 in the first quarter to 4,631 in the second quarter due to the availability of RUTF at CMAM centres while three children were lost to the disease in the first quarter and 28 in the second quarter.

“So far, 40,584 mothers and caregivers were reached with nutrition messages in the first quarter while 26,990 were reached in the second quarter”, he added.

Director, Development Aid Coordination, Planning and Budget Commission, Salihu Baba said that the government was working with development partners to optimise utilisation of resources.

“The meeting is also to receive updates and reports on nutrition interventions implemented by partners in the second quarter and share innovative ideas to improve nutrition programming in the state.”

State Coordinator, Civil Society-Scaling Up Nutrition in Nigeria (CS-SUNN), Jessica Bartholomew reiterated her organisation’s commitment to continue its advocacy for improved nutrition funding and utilisation in the State.