Not fewer than 40,000 children in their first 1,000 days of life in Bauchi State have been prevented from malnutrition and provided with improved child health conditions through a collaborative partnership between the US Government and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) with the Bauchi State Government.
The disclosure was made by the UNICEF Bauchi Field Office Nutrition Specialist, Philomena Irene, while speaking to journalists after a field visit on the intervention, which was part of efforts to strengthen nutrition and maternal and child healthcare across the state.
According to her, the support, provided through a grant to the state government in collaboration with UNICEF and other partners, had strengthened nutrition interventions at community and healthcare-facility levels.
Philomena Irene said over 6,000 members of the “Mama-to-Mama” and “Fathers for Good Health” volunteer groups had been trained to provide health education and promote positive health-seeking behaviours in their communities.
She added that more than 50 healthcare workers had been trained on nutrition supplementation, while logistics and information management systems had also been strengthened to improve delivery, monitoring and reporting.
According to her, UNICEF had also strengthened Food and Nutrition Committees at the local government level to encourage greater ownership of nutrition programmes.
“With the support from the US Government, we have been able to strengthen the Food and Nutrition Committee at the local government level, especially by ensuring that local governments are in the forefront and drivers of nutrition interventions, both nutrition-sensitive and nutrition-specific activities,” she said.
Philomena Irene added that some local governments had committed and released funds for nutrition activities, including the procurement of nutrition commodities, ready-to-use therapeutic food and multiple micronutrient supplements to prevent anaemia among pregnant women.
She said advocacy meetings had also been held with legislators and local government chairmen to secure stronger budgetary commitments for nutrition programmes.
The UNICEF Nutrition Specialist stressed the importance of the first 1,000 days of a child’s life, from pregnancy until the child reaches two years.
“The first 1,000 days in the life of a child, from when the mother is pregnant to when the child is two years, is the most critical period in the life of a child,” she said.
According to her, about 75 per cent of brain development takes place during the period, alongside the development of the muscular and skeletal systems and vital organs.
She warned that poor nutrition and inadequate healthcare during the period could have long-term consequences for children’s development, health and productivity.
In his reaction, the Executive Chairman of the State Primary Healthcare Development Board, Dr Rilwanu Muhammad, highlighted a significant statistical gap, saying that while 70 to 80 per cent of mothers in the state attend antenatal care, only 35 to 40 per cent deliver in institutional health facilities.
Rilwanu Muhammad warned that home deliveries continue to elevate risks associated with poor infant feeding, infections and early childhood malnutrition.
According to him, the state has distributed about 480,000 cartons of RUTF and approved N500 million for the fresh procurement of RUTF and multiple micronutrient supplements, with UNICEF expected to provide another N500 million as a matching grant.
“We are waiting for the release of the money so that UNICEF will also pay another N500 million as a matching grant to procure these items. That is why we are trying to close the gap,” he said.
Also speaking to journalists in his office, the Director of Primary Healthcare in Jama’are LGA, Abdullahi Adamu Sulaiman, said the local government was taking steps to sustain the interventions.
He said the area had recorded improvements in maternal and child health outcomes through programmes such as “Mama-to-Mama” and “Fathers for Good Health.”
Abdullahi Sulaiman commended UNICEF and other development partners for their support in strengthening healthcare delivery, immunisation and child health in Bauchi State.
Meanwhile, community volunteers said the interventions had contributed to improved health-seeking behaviour among families in Jama’are Local Government Area.
Yusuf Hafizu, a “Fathers for Good Health” advocate in Jama’are D Ward, said the initiative had helped change attitudes towards antenatal care, immunisation and other essential health services.
He said he had convinced some parents who previously refused to vaccinate their children to embrace immunisation.
“Previously, he would not take his children for vaccinations. However, after raising his awareness, guiding him and dispelling the myths circulating about vaccines, he now ensures that his children are vaccinated and his wives attend the hospital,” Hafizu said.
Also speaking, a “Mama-to-Mama” advocate, Rahama Dauda Abdullahi, said the training she received had improved her knowledge of maternal and child health, particularly nutrition, immunisation and antenatal care.
She said volunteers had intensified sensitisation on immunisation, antenatal care and hospital deliveries, adding that the campaign had contributed to a reduction in home births in communities where they operate.
Abdullahi said she visits up to 30 households every week to educate families on maternal and child healthcare, covering Tudun Wada, Kofar Fada and Yamma communities in Jama’are.
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