By Asma’u Ahmad
The Kaduna State Chapter of Civil Society Scaling-Up Nutrition in Nigeria (CS-SUNN) has said it has resolve to push for more budgetary allocation for nutrition related activities to reduce high malnutrition rate in the state.
The group expressed the view in a communiqué it issued at the end of a capacity training for Civil Society Organisations in Zaria, Kaduna State, to encourage government to scale up nutrition intervention for the people.
The communiqué signed by CS-SUNN coordinator in the state, Mr. Silas Ideva, described malnutrition as a threat to human socio-economic development and promised to monitor budget implementation to ensure transparency, accountability and timely release of funds.
“The current indices of malnutrition for children under five years in Kaduna State is 52.1 per cent, higher than the national level which stands at 32.9 per cent, based on NDHS (National Demographic Health Survey) 2015.
“Prior to this, the 2013 NDHS also places the level of malnutrition in the state at 57 and 42 per cent for stunting and wasting respectively. This is the higher than the national rate for North West Zone, which stands at 55 and 27 per cent for stunting and wasting respectively.
“It was to address this problem that CS-SUNN in collaboration with Partnership for Advocacy for Child and Family Health (PACFaH) mobilised and trained CSOs in the state to advocate for more funding and interventions on nutrition,” the group said.
It appealed to the Kaduna State Government to include nutrition in its list of priorities and ensure timely release of fund for nutrition activities to address the ugly scorch.
CS-SUNN promised to work toward improving coordination of nutrition activities with all relevant stakeholders at their local area of intervention up to the state level.
“We would also follow up to ensure the domestication and implementation of the National Nutrition Strategic Plan of Action (NSPAN) in the state to reduce the burden of malnutrition in children under five by 20 per cent by 2019,” it said.
