57% of K‎aduna Children are Malnurished – Prof Nok …‎Partners UNICEF on solution

 
By; Alex Uangbaoje, Kaduna.
Kaduna State Commissioner of Health and Human Services, Professor Andrew Jonathan Nok has disclosed that over 57% of children born in Kaduna State are malnurished which represents more than half of them and that 41.7% of them are severely stunted.
 
‎The Commissioner gave the revelation at a one day retreat on Malnutrition with the theme: “Malnutrition: the Major Cause of Under 5-Morbdity and Mortality in Kaduna State, a call for Action”‎.
 
The retreat was organised by Kaduna State Ministries of Local Government, Health and Human Services in collaboration with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), for Nutrition policy makers in the state.
 
According to him, “recent survey has shown that 57% of children are malnurished and 41.7% of them are severely stunted in Kaduna State.
 
“Micro-nutrients deficiency such as vitamin A and iodine is also common among these women (27.8%) due to poor intake. The malnutrition has also affected women significantly as 6.2% of our women in Kaduna State are malnurished and 23.4% have deficiency in iron.”
 
Professor Nok who was represented at the retreat by Dr. Ado Zakari, Director Public Health of the state Ministry of Health, added that “Malnutrition among children constitute 50% of the underlying causes of many communicable and non communicable life-threatning diseases.”
He noted that malnutrition is one of the major cause of morbidity and mortality in the northern part of the country, saying “nutrition issues are multifactorial in nature and therefore require multi-sectorial approach in tackling the problems associated with it.”
 
In his remarks, Commissioner for Local Government who was also represented by the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Alhaji Ibrahim Sambo said the theme of the retreat is timely for policy makers and health managers in the state for implementation.
 
‎He commended UNICEF for its  contributions and support in the prevention and eradication of malnutrition in the state, adding that “I want to assure you that the ministry will live up to its responsibilities in supporting all the LGA to implement health and other social welfare services meant to better the lives of of our people.”
 
On her part, Dr. Florence Oni, UNICEF Kaduna Field Office Nutrition Specialist, ‎emphasised that the idea for the retreat is to foster synergy among policy makers and nutrition stakeholders in the reduction and possible eradication of malnutrition in the state and country at large.
 
Dr. Florence, said every stakeholder has a role to play in actualising the nutrition ‎target and charged both state and LGAs to be responsible in stamping out malnutrition from the state.
 
She equally urged the LGAs to put every necessary infrastructure in place, while challenging health workers to be committed in providing quality services by ensuring that drugs and materials provided get to the children they are met for.