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By Health Correspondent
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has delivered a major humanitarian boost to Kebbi State with the donation of 10,500 cartons of Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) aimed at tackling Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) among children across the state.
The intervention, rolled out in Birnin Kebbi, is targeted at vulnerable children under the age of five in 11 Local Government Areas, where malnutrition cases have continued to raise concern among health authorities.
Speaking during the official presentation, UNICEF Chief of Field Office, Sokoto, represented by Nutrition Officer Alhaji Isah Ibrahim, described the initiative as a timely lifesaving response to the growing burden of child malnutrition in the state.
He revealed that recent findings from the 2025 SMART Survey and IPC-AMN analysis show that Kebbi State recorded a stunting rate of 40.9 percent and a wasting rate of 11.3 percent, underscoring the urgency of intervention.
According to him, projections indicate that about 130,000 children under five could suffer Severe Acute Malnutrition in 2026 if urgent and sustained measures are not taken. He added that 61 Primary Health Care Centres have been selected for the first phase of the programme.
Alhaji Isah Ibrahim stressed that the 10,500 cartons of therapeutic food will provide immediate treatment for thousands of affected children, while also contributing to reducing child mortality linked to malnutrition.
He, however, emphasized the need for strict accountability, proper monitoring, and transparency, warning that the supplies must strictly reach diagnosed children without diversion.
Receiving the donation on behalf of the state government, Governor Nasir Idris expressed deep appreciation to UNICEF, describing the intervention as timely and in line with his administration’s commitment to strengthening healthcare delivery, nutrition, education, and food security.
The governor reaffirmed government readiness to provide counterpart support to expand the programme and intensify efforts toward eliminating child malnutrition in Kebbi State.
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