51.9% of Kano children stunted by malnutrition – UNICEF

The United Nations Childrens Fund (UNICEF) has raised alarm over the high rate of child malnutrition in Kano State, revealing that 51.9% of children are stunted, meaning they are not growing well due to chronic undernutrition.UNICEFs Chief of Field Office in Kano, Mr. Rahma Farah, disclosed the figure during the official handover of Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) in Takai Local Government Area. The RUTF was procured through the joint GovernmentUNICEF Child Nutrition Match Fund initiative.Farah, represented by Dr. Serekeberehan Deres, Health Manager at the Kano Field Office, said the statistics indicate that one in every two children in the state suffers from stunted growth. He also revealed that over 10% of children are wasted dangerously underweight for their height, often due to recent severe weight loss.Wasting significantly increases the risk of death if not treated promptly, Farah warned, calling child malnutrition a major public health concern that demands urgent, coordinated action.He urged increased investment in nutrition-specific and nutrition-sensitive interventions, especially during the first 1,000 days of life, and called on government, civil society, and religious and traditional leaders to expand access to nutrition services, education, clean water, and healthcare.Investment in child nutrition is one of the most cost-effective interventions for national development, he stressed.Kano State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Abubakar Labaran, reaffirmed the governments commitment to improving child nutrition, noting that new maternal and child health programmes have been launched. He pledged continued collaboration with UNICEF and other partners to reduce malnutrition rates and improve survival and development outcomes.Malnutrition remains a major driver of child mortality and poor educational performance in Nigeria, with the northern region most affected. The post 51.9% of Kano children stunted by malnutrition UNICEF appeared first on Linda Ikeji Blog.