By Muhammad Auwal
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) says it supported 700,000 malnourished children in the country with Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) as at December 2018.
The Chief Nutritionist, UNICEF Nigeria, Dr Simeon Nanama, told newsmen in Abuja that over the years, UNICEF had supported government to prevent and address problem of malnutrition in the country.
The partnership, according to him, includes rendering technical support in focused states for intervention to develop policies, strategies and plans to address malnutrition.
He added that the organisation also supported government on issues related to legislation that could create favourable environment for improved nutrition.
“At operational level, we also support the treatment of malnutrition with the RUTF.
“In 2018, we reached out to 700,000 children with RUTF to tackle malnutrition,” he added
Nanama said that the priority was to prevent children from being malnourished, but when prevention measures failed,
treatment components would be introduced.
“In terms of prevention, we educate mothers on how best to feed children to prevent malnutrition.
“This includes exclusive breastfeeding for six months and introduction of complementary foods thereafter.”
The chief nutritionist said such intervention efforts were being done in collaboration with community leaders and
urged state governments to invest in programmes that would address malnutrition.
