By Jedidah Silas Kiman
Gombe
United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) has advised Gombe state government to put in place multi-sectoral nutritional strategy and action plan in order to properly address malnutrition and its effects.
Chief Nutrition Officer, UNICEF Nigeria, Dr Argan Dewagt, gave the advice during advocacy meeting held by UNICEF Bauchi Field Office with Gombe state government yesterday.
According to him, school feeding for children five years and older is critical and that inculcating nutrition in the school curriculum will enhance level of knowledge on nutrition and its values.
He said out of the 36 per cent of children in Nigeria that are affected by malnutrition, Gombe state statistics is about 50 per cent, from acute malnutrition which, according to him, is a very dangerous stage with eight per cent rate in Gombe.
“The indicator in the north is not so good. 10 per cent of children are disadvantage because breast feeding mothers themselves are not properly nourished, and most critical days are from pregnancy to first one thousand days of a child. If the nutritional stage by this period is not attained, mortality rate becomes very high.
“Gombe state is doing very poorly in the area of exclusive breast feeding, which is that mothers give only breast milk to children in the first six months.
He said exclusive breast feeding is important because the breast has all the nutrients deeded by a child and the intestines of a child are not strong enough for any other substance.”
Responding, Governor Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo reiterated government’s commitment to addressing malnutrition, saying the government through the Ministry of Education would ensure that nutrition was included in school curriculum.
The governor, who promised to include same in the state budget, called on other UN agencies to invest more in the area.
