Nine priority areas have been identified that are considered key to improving Nutritional status in the State. These include six Nutrition specific areas- Maternal Nutrition, Infant and Young Child Feeding; Management of Severe Acute Malnutrition; Micro-nutrient Deficiency Control; Diet related Non-communicable Diseases (NCDs) and Adolescent Nutrition”.
“The other three are; Nutrition-sensitive areas – Poverty reduction, Food Security and Water & Sanitation. Cross-cutting strategies have been identified as the means to achieve high coverage and quality delivery of the priority areas and thus achieve the objectives and targets of the plan. Activities for each of these strategies will be delivered by various relevant sectors through appropriate delivery platforms to ensure maximum coverage”
“Malnutrition brings huge human and economic costs. The effect of malnutrition on physical stature, cognitive development, and on the ability to do physical work can lock children and their families into poverty and entrench inequality.
As the World Community strives to attain the Sustainable Developments Goals (SDGs), and Nigeria is poised to implement the National Strategic Plan of Action for Nutrition, these represent two windows of opportunity that can help Bauchi State move forward”.
Jatau while emphasizing the need for crucial steps to accelerate the reduction of hunger and malnutrition in the state, recalled latest survey reports indicated that Bauchi has one of the highest rates of malnutrition in the country, however describing it as highly unacceptable given all the investments and resources committed towards addressing malnutrition and hunger.
Further emphasizing the need for taking crucial steps to accelerate the reduction of hunger and malnutrition Bauchi state, Hon Auwal Jatau said that it is for this reason that the state government bold step to produce a holistic costed state strategic plan of action for Nutrition in a process where all relevant sectors at all levels were involved.
About The Author
