The Kaduna State Government said on Thursday that it would strengthen the capacity of Nutrition Focal Persons (NFPs) in its 23 Local Government Areas (LGAs) to implement quality nutrition interventions at community level.
The Permanent Secretary, Planning and Budget Commission (PBC), Mr Mahmoud Yamusa, said this in Zaria, at the opening of a Quarterly Review Meeting on Food and Nutrition.
Reports said that the meeting, held with the Nutrition Focal Persons from the 23 local government areas, was organised by the PBC.
Yamusa, represented by Malam Salisu Lawal, the Director, Development Aid Coordination, PBC, said that the effort was to strengthen the delivery of quality nutrition services at local government level.
“This is crucial to addressing the scourge of malnutrition in the state as the local government councils are already improving funding for nutrition interventions.
“It is, therefore, very crucial for the state to improve the capacity of NFPs to be able to implement quality nutrition services that will make a difference in communities,” he said.
Mrs Ramatu Haruna, the State Nutrition Officer, said that the indices of malnutrition in the state had significantly improved in recent years.
She said that the death rates from malnutrition had equally decreased from 672 in 2017 to 323 in 2019, and further dropped to 142 in 2020 despite the challenge of COVID-19.
Mr Umar Bambale, the Programme Manager, Kaduna State Emergency Nutrition Action Plan (KADENAP), noted that the government was making necessary efforts to improve the delivery of quality of nutrition service in rural areas.
Bambale pointed out that the success of nutrition programmes in LGAs largely depended on the ability of the NFPs to deliver quality services at health facilities and communities.
“You are doing well but need to do more as nutrition champions in LGAs,” he said.
Mrs Hauwa Usman, the Nutrition Specialist, World Bank-supported Accelerating Nutrition Result in Nigeria (ANRiN) project, thanked the state government for the efforts to address the scourge of malnutrition.
Usman reiterated ANRiN’s commitment to improve the quality of nutrition and health services for children, pregnant women, lactating women and adolescent girls in communities and health centres.
Similarly, Mrs Sarah Kwasu, State Team Lead, Alive and Thrive (Fhi 360), described routine and documentation as “crucial” to effective implementation of cost-effective nutrition interventions in LGAs.
She commended the NFPs for the efforts so far and urged them to do more as critical nutrition service providers at community level.
Earlier, Mrs Pricilla Dariya, the Deputy Director, Development Aid Coordination, PBC, said that the main objective of the meeting was to improve the capacity of the NFPs to implement nutrition activities.
Dariya added that the meeting was also organised to review and document current nutrition activities; document barriers and opportunities for optimal nutrition services; and facilitate coordination of nutrition activities in LGAs