The Gombe State Government has launched the distribution of a locally produced complementary food supplement to tackle child malnutrition across the state.
At the launch event over the weekend, Deputy Governor Dr. Manassah Daniel Jatau described the initiative as a sustainable, homegrown response to a critical health crisis.
He revealed alarming statistics, saying “The state’s stunting rate stands at 50.6 per cent and over 94,000 children are severely malnourished.
“The development and certification of this supplement by NAFDAC mark a significant step in our Human Capital Development agenda,” he added.
The project is a collaborative effort involving the Ministries of Education, Science, Technology and Innovation, and the Accelerating Nutrition Results in Nigeria (ANRIN) programme.
According to Dr Jatau, more than 1,000 students from selected schools were trained to prepare nutritious meals.
He also said women were empowered to produce and distribute the supplement, creating both health and economic benefits.
Commissioner for Education, Dr Aishatu Umar Maigari, said over 200 women and 300 secondary school students have already been trained in the supplement’s production, positioning them as key players in ending child malnutrition in Gombe State.
