Children in Bauchi succumb to severe acute malnutrition

Bauchi State has recorded four deaths from Severe Acute Malnutrition, SAM, in children under five years.

Also, a total of 4,384 children with SAM have been admitted for treatment across 14 Integrated Management of Acute Malnutrition Centers in the state in the first quarter of 2024.

The State Nutrition Officer, Abubakar Saleh confirmed the development while giving an overview on the nutrition situation in Bauchi State at a two-day State Committee on Food and Nutrition meeting held in Jos, the Plateau State capital.

He explained that out of these number, only 451 have completed treatment.

Saleh mentioned that the state began treatment in February 2024 upon receiving a delivery of 17,000 cartons of Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Foods (RUTF) from USAID.

In her address, the United Nations Children Fund, UNICEF’s facilitator on Nutrition, Jessica Bartholomew stated that according to statistics, Nigeria is home to the largest population of chronically undernourished children in the world.

“The country has a total of 11 million children being stunted while Bauchi State is contributing to the number with a stunting rate at 46%, wasting 9.5% and 28.2% underweight NDHIS 2018.” She said.

She, however stressed that, nutrition is the only way get a nation’s human capital development right.

Bartholomew added that as a Committee with mandate to coordinate nutrition activities in the state, there is need to make government realize the need to address nutrition which is of critical importance for achieving SDGs especially goals related to hunger, child and maternal health and education.

The Facilitator also noted that government needs to invest in interventions as childhood stunting is estimated to reduce at least 10% of potential life savings.

Speaking earlier, the Nutrition Officer, UNICEF Bauchi Field Office, Dr Martins Jackson emphasised the need for sustained awareness on exclusive breastfeeding in the first 6 months of a child’s life to address malnutrition.