By Rauf Oyewole
The Nigerian Red Cross Society has launched its intervention on Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) in nine Northern states of the country, targeting one million affected persons in 170,000 households.
The Society lamented the increasing rate of malnutrition in under five year children in the North, adding that insecurity is a major contributor. It further expressed fear that delayed action could lead to food insecurity.
In North Central, the Society has selected Benue and Niger while Katsina, Sokoto and Zamfara were picked in the North West and Borno, Adamawa, Taraba and Yobe are benefiting in the North East. The programme, according to the organisation, would run for one year.
Speaking at the Launch in Bauchi on Friday, the National President of Nigerian Red Cross Society, Prince Oluyemisi Adetayo Adeaga, explained that the project was to contribute to the reduction of mortality and morbidity among children and women suffering from acute malnutrition.
“Our vision is to strengthen and scale up community management of acute malnutrition, including active case findings and referrals. Promote behavioural change through nutrition education, awareness raising, on improved feeding practices, and overall hygiene promotion.
“Strengthening protection efforts, with particular focus on women, girls, and children, as well as the inclusion of marginalised populations.”
Adeaga who was represented by the National Disaster Adviser, Dr Babale Adamu, said that, "We are talking about food insecurity, something that is devastating, a catastrophe, that will be able to affect all your food in your own community.
“What will be in our own domain? We can't tell. This is a huge malignancy that can occur. And if you look at it, you can see that there is a looming drought. A looming one. Almost all parts of Nigeria have this tendency of drought.”
He said that the Society would engage state officials in curbing the menace of malnutrition. “It is the government programme, we are only contributing our little intervention to complement the effort of the government.”
Also, Acting Director of the Health and Care Department, Dr. Aminu Abdullahi, added that, "Malnutrition is an emergency in Nigeria. Based on that, a lot of us launched aid to the International Federation of Red Cross Red Crescent to see how we can support the government. As you are all aware, the Nigeria Red Cross Society is just an auxiliary of the government.
"Whatever we do, is, we are just trying to see how we can support the government. Based on that, we are able to get some funds that we will try to see how we can contribute our quota in Nine states, which are the Base states."
Representatives of the states, in their various goodwill messages, commended Red Cross Society of Nigeria for taking the initiatives to join the fight against malnutrition in U-5 children.
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