From Sola Ojo, Abuja
In a bold move to combat malnutrition and anemia, Kaduna State policymakers, legislators, and stakeholders have united against malnutrition and adopted Multiple Micronutrient Supplementation (MMS) as a game changer.
MMS refers to the provision of essential vitamins and minerals )iron, folic acid, vitamin A, vitamin D, calcium, zinc, iodine, and selenium among others) to individuals, particularly pregnant women, lactating mothers, and young children, to prevent micronutrient deficiencies.
It is important to add that, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends MMS for pregnant women, as it has been shown to improve maternal and child health outcomes, such as reduced risk of anemia, improved birth weight, reduced risk of low birth weight, improved cognitive development in children, and reduced risk of maternal and child mortality.
In a communique signed by Bashir Muhammad, Hon. Emmanuel Bako Kantiok, and Sarah Didi Kwaso at the end of a one-day policy dialogue on the uptake of MMS in Kaduna, stakeholders pledged to play their role to ensure the success of the MMS uptake in the state.
The policy dialogue, convened by the Civil Society Scaling-Up Nutrition in Nigeria (CS-SUNN), aimed to secure commitments for increased funding and strategic interventions for MMS.
The latest National Demography and Health Survey (NDHS 2023) highlighted alarming statistics on anemia’s impact on women and children, emphasizing the need for a multi-sectoral approach.
The communique revealed that stakeholders emphasized the significance of MMS in reducing anemia and the need for increased budgetary allocations, procurement, distribution, and behavioral change communication.
For example, the legislators recognized their pivotal role in ensuring adequate policies, funding, and implementation of nutrition-sensitive strategies.
They further pledged to create awareness, educate on adequate diets, and provide financial support to vulnerable communities.
The executive arm said it was committed to developing nutrition policies, training stakeholders, and effective oversight to address the alarming malnutrition statistics in the state.
Resolutions included ensuring cash-backed releases for nutrition initiatives, creating an account for nutrition activities, and leveraging partner support.
In all, stakeholders agreed to support MMS uptake, expand nutrition stakeholder membership, and leverage Economic Planning Board meetings to improve the cognitive development of newborns and reduce maternal and newborn mortality.