Jigawa lactating mothers seek nutrition security

Representatives of lactating mothers in Jigawa have appealed for access to healthy, safe, affordable foods essential to their optimal health and well-being. Our approach to tackling food

The breastfeeding mothers made the call on Thursday at the Tisa Masaki, a community nutrition initiative, Sakwaya Primary Healthcare Centre (PHC) and General Hospital in Dutse Local Government Area of the state.

The Newsmen reports that some of the malnourished looking mothers and babies were attended to by skilled healthcare personnel at the facilities.

At Tisa, Mrs Barira Rabi, a rural housewife, told the Newsmen that she travelled 10kms on a motorcycle and paid N2,000 in order to access the service.

“I am a full time housewife with no education and no job or money to support myself and my baby.

”My husband is a farmer and cannot feed the family well nor provide me with a balanced diet,” she said.

Also speaking, Mrs Aisha Adamu, said she was referred to the Sakwaya PHC for attention because of her child’s malnourished condition.

She said the current economic situation has worsen her family’s poverty level, adding that they are merely surviving.

”As a breastfeeding mother, my baby and I need constant supply of nutrients to keep us healthy,” she said.

The Dutse Local Government Area PHC Manager, Malam Abdulhamid Ahmed, told the Newsmen  that two health workers were deployed to train women on nutrition issues at the ward level to reduce the problem.

Adamu said that the training of rural mothers hold weekly with four complementary meetings monthly to sharpen their skills.

The official also explained that food supplements and drugs were administered on the patients to help revive them and prevent loss of lives.

He also called on the three tiers of government to commit more funding and food nutrition to citizens to ensure a healthy and prosperous nation.