The Katsina State Government, in collaboration with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), has procured Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) worth N400 million to combat child malnutrition in the state.
At the official handover ceremony, UNICEF Country Representative Cristian Munduate emphasized the urgency of the intervention, noting that prolonged malnutrition has caused intellectual impairments in many children.
Munduate revealed that 7,000 cartons of RUTF have been secured through the Child Nutrition Match Fund to support nearly 8,000 children facing life-threatening malnutrition. This initiative aims to tackle the increasing malnutrition cases and improve health outcomes for children under five in Katsina.
Katsina State has also been recognized as the most affordable state in Nigeria for maintaining a healthy diet, with residents spending an average of N739 per day. This affordability aligns with efforts to combat malnutrition and promote the well-being of the state’s young population.
Governor Dikko Radda reaffirmed the state’s dedication to addressing malnutrition, announcing that both the state government and UNICEF contributed N200 million each for the procurement of therapeutic food. He stressed the importance of focusing on children between zero and five years old, a critical period for saving lives, and urged parents to seek timely medical care for their children.
The Katsina State Government also reiterated its commitment to working with development partners like UNICEF to enhance child health and create a healthier, more productive future for its population.
