From Paul Orude, Bauchi
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has said Bauchi State has contributed 54, 000 cases of malnourished children to the burden of Nigeria.
The Chief of Field Office (CFO), UNICEF, Dr. Nuzhat Rafique, overseeing Adamawa, Bauchi, Gombe, Plateau, and Taraba States, made the revelation in Jos, Plateau State, in her goodwill message during the opening of a two-day advocacy and sensitisation meeting with all the 20 local government chairmen in the state, on leveraging on resources to support food security and nutrition.
The meeting was organised by the Bauchi State Ministry of Budget, Economic Planning, and Multilateral Coordination with support from UNICEF.
She was worried over the overwhelming surge of malnutrition cases in the state, which puts many children at risk of death.
“I am here to give a goodwill message which is not very good. I have worked with UNICEF in 11 countries already and Nigeria is my 12th country. When I look at the situation of children, especially in Bauchi, I have been to all five states, I have seen the children at the local government level, at unit level and then to the primary healthcare facilities, nutrition services and the data on the children are very worrying.
“In Bauchi alone we are contributing about 54,000 children, who are malnourished. Out of 10, three children are severely malnourished and about six are moderately malnourished and can go into severe malnourishment anytime,” she warned.
Rafique said she was fond of the leadership of Governor Bala Mohammed in the state, the dedication of the health commissioner, the chairman of the Association of Local Government Chairmen in the state (ALGON), the Director of Primary Health Care among others. However, she noted, when it comes to the communities, their culture and practices, the council chairmen “are the backbone of the state.”