By Samuel Luka
Bauchi State's fight against child malnutrition has received a major boost from the United States Government, with over 40,000 children reached with preventive nutrition interventions –a success now visible in the rural communities of Darazo Local Government Area.
Nutrition Specialist with the UNICEF Bauchi Field Office, Philomena Irene, disclosed this in Bauchi, saying the grant, implemented in collaboration with the state government, targets children aged 6 to 23 months with Small Quantity Lipid-based Nutrient Supplements, SQ-LNS, for the prevention of malnutrition in early childhood.
"The U.S. Government support to Bauchi State through the grant has enabled us to provide support to over 40,000 children with small quantity lipid-based supplements for the prevention of malnutrition," Philomena said.
She explained that the support went beyond commodity distribution to include community and health system strengthening. According to her, over 6,000 Mama2Mama and Father for Good Health support group members were trained on public health messaging around the first 1,000 days of life, while over 50 healthcare workers were trained at facility level.
The grant, she added, also strengthened the Logistics Management Information System and the District Health Information Management System, DHIS, for better data and supply tracking.
A key result, she noted, is the revitalization of Food and Nutrition Committees at the Local Government level, which has led to LGA commitment and release of funds for procurement of RUTF - Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food - and multiple micronutrient supplements for pregnant women. Advocacy meetings were also held with state legislators and local government chairmen to secure budget lines and releases for nutrition.
On the importance of the intervention, Philomena described the first 1,000 days - from pregnancy to age two - as the window of opportunity.
"This is the period where 75 percent of brain development takes place, including the muscular system, skeletal system and vital organs. If we miss this period, children may not fit among their peers, may not compete in the digital world, and may be prone to diseases like cancer, obesity and other non-communicable diseases," she warned.
She stressed that investment in the first 1,000 days offers the greatest return, as it reduces future spending on health, education and the economy.
That investment is already translating into lives saved in Darazo, where a quiet revolution is being led not by doctors in white coats, but by the same Mama2Mama and Fathers for Good Health volunteers trained under the programme.
At the forefront is Maimuna Wakili, leader of the Mama2Mama Under-5 Primary Healthcare initiative in Darazo.
"Honestly, we have acquired knowledge through the training to help in enlightening our community on the dangers of malnutrition," Maimuna said. "We move around our community from house to house to sensitise our fellow women and to help them identify signs of malnutrition in children for proper action."
She said volunteers teach mothers to watch for warning signs: "When they notice a child is not growing, is not increasing in height and is losing weight, his skin is looking unhealthy, that's the sign of malnutrition, they should take the child to the health center. And once the child is diagnosed with malnutrition they will place the child on RUTF."
Maimuna said community acceptance has been overwhelming. "As a result, cases of malnutrition have drastically reduced in our community," she said, commending village heads and community leaders. Mothers now even visit volunteers at home when children develop loss of appetite.
For mild cases, volunteers promote locally available foods. "Some of the grains we tell the mothers to use include guinea corn, soya beans, rice, groundnut and millet," Maimuna said.
Fatima Galadima from the Dankade community reinforced that approach: "We tell them to cook beans, or give the child cake made from soya beans popularly known in Hausa as Awara if it is not severe, but if it is severe we refer them to hospital."
She said challenges are minimal due to support from religious and traditional leaders, and from husbands who encourage volunteers to keep checking on their wives on ANC, vaccination, exclusive breastfeeding and early reporting of symptoms.
In the Masallacin Idi Sarki community, Aishatu Hallai explained early detection: "It is after three months of birth that a child may show symptoms of malnutrition. You will see that the child is not changing in size or is losing weight, and the child will be crying always because of lack of nutrition in the body."
Aishatu said volunteers work closely with health workers, fixing dates at facilities when mothers need more explanation.
Beneficiaries are feeling the impact. Fatima Muhammad of Unguwan Kawada, whose child received RUTF, said: "We're really grateful to the authorities for ensuring that the RUTF which is used for treatment of malnutrition is reaching our community. They have sensitised us on how to use local ingredients. They let us know that inadequate feeding of children with breast milk can also cause malnutrition. When my child was diagnosed with malnutrition, they gave me RUTF, and since I started giving him, he has been recovering."
Men are also driving change. Safiyanu Yahaya, leader of Fathers for Good Health, Darazo East, said: "We go from house to house to talk to our fellow men to support their wives during pregnancy, from antenatal care to birth, to immunization and all that is needed for the safety of the wives and the children, and they are really supporting us."
With the U.S. grant strengthening supply systems, LGA funding and frontline knowledge, stakeholders say Bauchi is proving that community-led action, backed by strategic partnership, can win the fight against malnutrition one household at a time.
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