Nasarawa State Rated 1st Performing In Safeguard Against Malnutrition
Mr Illiyasu Tunga, Nasarawa State Coordinator of Accelerating Nutrition Results in Nigeria (ANRiN) says the state has been rated first performing in safeguard against malnutrition in the country by the Federal Government.
The state coordinator made the disclosure in an interview with newsmen on Wednesday in Lafia, Nasarawa State.
He further said that the state was also rated second in Social Behavioral Change Communication and third in Coordination of Development Partners towards reducing the prevalence of malnutrition.
According to him, the ANRiN projects is been implemented in 12 states of the country with high burden of malnourished children and pregnant women as well as nursing mothers.
He listed the states the projects is being implemented to includes Nasarawa, Plateau, Kogi, Kwara, Niger, Kaduna, Kano, Kasina, Gombe, Abia, Akwa-Ibom, and Oyo.
He explained that the projects had started in 2017, when the data of malnutrition across the country was devastating.
“At that time, it was discovered that over 30 per cent of children between zero to five years from the mentioned states were malnourished.
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“So, the government were concerned about the prevalence rate of malnutrition and rolled out so many interventions including ANRiN projects aimed at reducing the scourge, he added.
Mr Tunga added that the projects is in four different phases and each phase would last for five years.
“The projects was initiated in 2017, but the Nasarawa State office began activities in 2019 and first phase of the program would end on December 31, 2023,” he added.
“The data for Nasarawa State in 2018 revealed that because of lack of Vitamin-A the burden of malnutrition and stunted growth in Nasarawa State was 33 per cent,” Mr Tunga said.
He explained that the state government through thier office, had engaged people from all the electoral wards in the 13 Local Government Areas (LGAs) to provide services to the targeted people to reduce malnutrition.
Mr Tunga added that currently they are providing seven services to 1, 869, 385 children, pregnant women and nursing mothers across the 13 LGAs of the state to tackle the scourge.
He added that four of the services were being provided for children while three is to pregnant women and nursing mothers.
“The interventions for children includes; Macro Nutrient Powder, Vatimin-A supplementation, deworming tablet, and Zinc Oral Rehydration Solution (ORS).
“While for pregnant women and nursing mothers are; Maternal Infant and Young Children Nutrition Counselling, Iron Failing Acid, and Sulfadoxine and Pyrimethamine (Fansider),” he added.
He explained that with thier interventions already the prevalence rate has reduced, but they are waiting for official results from the Federal Government to ascertain the situation at the moment.
He therefore assured the public that the state government would not relent until the malnutrition burden is reduced to its bearest minimum.
