Malnutrition: CS-SUNN Raises Alarm Over Increase in Kaduna
According to the Civil Society-Scaling Up Nutrition in Nigeria (CS-SUNN), there has been a sharp increase in the malnutrition crisis affecting women and children, with Kaduna State facing particularly concerning statistics.
Speaking at a media engagement in Kaduna, CS-SUNN Executive Secretary, Sunday Okoronkwo, cited findings from the 2023/24 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS), which shows that 40.7 per cent of children under five in Kaduna are stunted, up from the previous 37 per cent reported in 2018.
Nationally, the data revealed that 40 per cent of children under five are stunted and that 55 per cent of women of reproductive age suffer from anemia, marking an increase that demands urgent action.
Okoronkwo emphasised the wide-ranging consequences of these conditions, which impede cognitive development, weaken immunity, and increase vulnerability to illness.
He underscored that malnutrition not only impacts the immediate well-being of children but also hampers long-term productivity.
Highlighting the benefits of Multiple Micronutrient Supplements (MMS), Okoronkwo said that research has shown MMS to effectively reduce anaemia and promote healthy pregnancy outcomes.
Okoronkwo called on the Kaduna State government to prioritise MMS distribution and leverage the Child Nutrition Fund to double its investments in nutritional interventions.
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State Nutrition Officer, Mrs. Ramatu Haruna, urged the media to actively promote the uptake of MMS as an essential step toward combating malnutrition. She noted that the government recently allocated N400 million as a commitment to child nutrition funding, aimed at procuring and distributing MMS to expectant mothers across the state.
Mrs. Haruna highlighted that adequate supplementation is critical to ensuring the health of both mothers and their babies.
Dr. Zainab Muhammad Kwaru, Project Coordinator for the World Bank-supported Accelerating Nutrition Results in Nigeria (ANRiN) project, detailed ongoing efforts to distribute MMS at the community level.
She said: “Since 2022, ANRiN has delivered over 16 million doses of MMS through non-state actors who reach pregnant women and adolescent girls by going house to house across Kaduna’s 23 Local Government Areas.”
Dr. Kwaru noted that a blueprint for training healthcare providers at health facilities is in development to ensure consistent access to MMS.
Meanwhile, a beneficiary, Alheri Monday from Jama’a council, shared her positive experience with MMS during her last pregnancy. She reported significant health improvements compared to her first pregnancy, noting her second baby weighed 3.7kg, up from the 2.8kg weight of her first.
She emphasised that MMS reduced symptoms such as vomiting, and improved her overall appetite, underscoring the importance of making MMS accessible to all pregnant women in the state.
