The Kaduna State Government has reiterated its commitment to tackling malnutrition across the state.
This assurance was given by Mukhtar Ahmed, chairman of the state Steering Committee on Food and Nutrition, during a one-day nutrition stakeholders meeting on Thursday in Kaduna.
Ahmed, who also serves as the commissioner for Planning and Budget Commission, highlighted the state government’s strides in addressing malnutrition.
He noted that significant steps had been taken, including the creation of a dedicated budget line for nutrition in the 2025 appropriation bill under the Ministry of Health and the State Primary Healthcare Board.
According to him, the state has appointed a Chairman for the House Committee on Nutrition, with desk officers designated across Ministries, Departments, and Agencies to streamline nutrition efforts.
Ahmed also disclosed that ₦50 million has been allocated for nutrition activities at the Primary Healthcare Board.
He commended the state’s nutrition team and development partners for their contributions, which were reflected in the recently released National Demographic and Health Survey 2023-2024.
“The progress is evident, with stunting rates dropping from 22.1 percent in 2018 to 16.8 percent, severe wasting reduced from 1.1 percent to 0.3 percent, and severe underweight cases declining from 7.6 percent to 6 percent,” Ahmed said.
He described the achievements as a testament to the dedication of the nutrition team, Ministries, MDAs, and development partners, while stressing the need for continued vigilance in the fight against malnutrition.
Earlier, Bashir Muhammed, chairman of the state Committee on Food and Nutrition, said the meeting aimed to advocate and sensitise stakeholders on sustaining efforts to combat malnutrition in Kaduna.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that representatives of development partners delivered goodwill messages, lauding the government’s efforts in addressing malnutrition.
Presentations were also delivered by the state Nutrition Officer on the current nutrition status and by Civil Society Scaling Up Nutrition in Nigeria on strategies for nutrition financing.
Stakeholders at the meeting included the Chairman of the House Committee on Food and Nutrition, the Chairman of the House Committee on Agriculture, and the General Manager of the Kaduna Agricultural Development Agency.
Others present were officials from the National Primary Healthcare Board, the state Primary Healthcare Board, and representatives from the Ministry of Education, Society for Family Health, and the Muslim World League, among others.
NAN
