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From Agaju Madugba, Katsina
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the Katsina government say they are committing additional N1 billion to combat malnutrition cases ravaging parts of the state.
Reports indicate that some 650 children died from malnutrition between January and June 2025, even with Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) prevalence in the Mashi Local Government Area.
Speaking on Tuesday during a meeting of the Standardised Monitoring and Assessment of Relief and Transition (SMART) survey in Katsina, the Executive Secretary of the State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Dr. Shamsudeen Yahaya, said that the state government and UNICEF would provide N500 million each in the 2025 fiscal year to address the issue of malnutrition.
According to him, “Since the coming of this present administration, His Excellency, Malam Dikko Umar Radda, has prioritised healthcare delivery, especially primary healthcare and the welfare of children.
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“This year, the state government will provide N500 million while UNICEF will match it with the same amount, making it N1 billion to address acute malnutrition in the state.
“Since 2016, 14 local government councils have been contributing N250,000 monthly, amounting to N3.5 million to attenuate malnutrition amongst children and breastfeeding mothers.”
Also speaking at the ceremony, the UNICEF Nutrition Specialist, Niyi Oyedokun, described the SMART survey meeting as crucial, noting that the Katsina State government is taking the leadership of the conduct of the exercise.
“The meeting is to sensitise all the major stakeholders, including all the 34 Local Government Areas chairmen who were invited, among other partners.
“UNICEF is supporting the government and UNICEF is funding the SMART Survey, but the government of Katsina State is also contributing both financially and facilities as well,” he said.
