The Kebbi State Government has reassured
its commitments in supporting, Promoting and improving Maternal, Infant and
Young Child Nutrition(MIYCN )practices to reduce the prevalent rate of
malnutrition in the state.
The state Commissioner of Health, Comrade Yunusa
Musa Isma'il , gave the assurance at the closing ceremony of State Training of
Trainers on Maternal Infant and Young Child Nutrition Course, organized by
Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare in collaboration with Accelerating
Nutrition Results in Nigeria (ANRiN) and World Bank took place from 7th to 17th
July,2024 at Kamba Motel, Birnin Kebbi.
Honorable Yunusa Musa Jibrin expressed displeasure
on the way and manner health workers in the state diverted the first
consignment of the Ready Use Therapotic Food (RUTF ) procured and distributed
by the state government, warning that Government will take displinary action against
any health personnel found in this act, describing it as inhuman.
Also lamenting on how Kebbi State is placed
number one state that has high rate of malnutrition cases, such as, stunted and
wasting children, the Commissioner, promised to do everything possible to step
back the menace.
He stated that the state government has
procured Thirty Thousand cartoons of Ready Use Therppotic Food (RUTF) for
distribution to all health facilities across the state, assuring that Kebbi
state government will continue to support Federal Government by provide all
necessary things require to reduce Malnutrition and improve Maternal, Infant
and Young Nutrition practices among people of the state.
While applauding Federal Government and
Federal Ministry of Health in particular, Hon. Yunusa Isma'il, stated that by
sending a complete team of officers from Abuja and the Facilitators show that Malnutrition
is a matter of concern, urging that the pediatric Doctors among the Facilitators
and all other professionals should take counseling talks very serious with a
view to enlighten their respective clients especially on the importance of
using local food available in the state to improve Nutrition.
The Commissioner further encouraged
participants to make proper use of the knowledge acquired during the training
as they will be the trainers of Maternal, Infant and Young Child Nutrition
practices at grassroots level, urging them to always encourage their people to
use local food such as Ground nuts, bambara nuts and others.
He stated that because of the importance, he
particularly attached to the Maternal, Infant and Young Child Nutrition Course,
despite advice of his Medical
Doctor to stay indoor, find it necessary to
attend and address the closing ceremony.
In her remarks, the Kebbi State Nutrition
Officer, Eunice Erey Dabai thanked all the stakeholders for the success of the
course, urging all the participants to effectively and efficiently use the
knowledge acquired as they will be the soldiers of Maternal Infant and Young
Child Nutrition practices at grassroots.
The
State Nutrition Officer reminded the participants to recall the alarming and
sympathetic cases
of malnutrition they witnessed in the
respective facilities visited during demonstration on food and counseling mission.
The closing ceremony was attended by Commrade
Haruna Abdullahi Kangiwa, Board Chairman Kebbi State Primary Health Care
Development Agency, Junaidu Halliru, Director Immunization and Disease Control,
Bello Hamza Sani, State Coordinator, National Primary Health Care Development
Agency, Dr. Jibril Labbo Gwandu, Director Medical Services and Bala Isah Kamba,
Director, Planning, Research and Statistics, Kebbi State Ministry of Health respectively.
At the end of the ceremony, a register for Kebbi
State Public Commitment to improve Maternal Infant and Young Child Nutrition
(MIYCN) in Nigeria was signed by all stakeholders, including the Hon.
Commissioner of Health, Commrade Hon. Yunusa Musa Isma'il.
Ado Bako
AD(Inf.&PR)
FMOH and SW, Abuja
16/7/2024.
