Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf of Kano State has faulted the previous administration for allowing nutrition centres across the state to collapse, despite a surge in child malnutrition cases.
Speaking during a visit to Takai Local Government Area on Thursday, the governor launched a series of wide-reaching interventions aimed at reversing malnutrition and improving child survival rates across the state.
Governor Yusuf revealed that many Comprehensive Management of Acute Malnutrition (CMAM) centres had been neglected under the past government, worsening the malnutrition crisis.
He announced the reopening and equipping of these centres, with all 44 LGAs now having operational facilities staffed with trained personnel.
“For the first time in Kano’s history, every LGA has a functioning nutrition intervention centre,” he declared.
To support these efforts, the state, in collaboration with UNICEF, has procured Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) worth N1 billion for the treatment of severely malnourished children.
He assured that the distribution would be closely monitored by health officials, traditional and religious leaders, and other stakeholders.
“We are determined to reverse disturbing nutrition trends like stunting and ensure every child in Kano grows up healthy and nourished,” the governor said.
As part of a broader health push, Yusuf also launched the mass administration of Azithromycin under the N7.2 billion Mini Number Two project, which targets over three million children aged one to 59 months.
The program aims to reduce childhood deaths from pneumonia, diarrhoea, malaria, measles, neonatal infections, and malnutrition-related complications.
It is supported by the Federal Ministry of Health, the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, and the Solina Centre for International Development and Research.
In addition, 187 primary healthcare centres are currently being upgraded under the World Bank-funded IMPACT project, while 18 secondary healthcare centres are also being renovated.
Children living with sickle cell disease are receiving dedicated support under these expanded child survival programmes.
UNICEF’s Health Manager in Kano, Serekeberehan Deres, praised the government’s commitment and urged more funding next year to match through the Child Nutrition Match Fund.
She also advocated for the rollout of the second round of Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Week and six months’ paid maternity leave to promote exclusive breastfeeding.
She noted that Kano leads all states in contributions to the Child Nutrition Fund, with N500 million committed by the state and matched by UNICEF to provide nearly 13,000 cartons of RUTF, benefiting over 17,000 severely malnourished children.
“We appreciate the governor’s unwavering leadership and the collective efforts of all partners in the fight against malnutrition,” she said.
