Considering the danger posed by malnutrition in children under 5 years, Civil Society Organisations Coalition (CSO) against Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) in Gombe State has advocated for more funding for nutrition in order to curb cases of Severe Acute Malnutrition in the state which has claimed lives of innocent children.
The call was made by a spokesman of the Coalition which includes, Care for Life, SAIF Foundation Advocacy, and Advocacy Centre for Nigeria, Alhassan Yaya during an advocacy visit to the Permanent Secretary, Budget office of the Ministry of Finance, Alhaji Ibrahim Jalo in Gombe on Thursday.
He emphasised the need for more funding in the nutritional unit of the health sector, considering the alarming rate of children with SAM in the state saying that the fund allocated for nutrition in the 2020 budget was N500 million but considering the fact that children were dying as a result of SAM, more funding is required.
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Alhassan Yaya, however, commended the state governor, Muhammad Inuwa Yahaya’s passion in the health sector, adding it was the first time the sum of N500 million was allocated to nutrition issues in the state.
He added that malnutrition, in all forms, imposes a high cost on individuals, families and the nation hence the need for aggressive approach particularly in the area of availability of Ready To Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) needed to treat malnourished children.
While responding to the advocacy visit, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Finance, Alhaji Ibrahim Jalo said that the state governor, Inuwa Yahaya has a passion for the health of the people and willing to invest in the sector.
He also said that though the state government has reduced the size of its 2020 budget following the emergence of COVID-19 pandemic, that of the health sector was increased from N12.9 billion to N16.3 billion, because of the importance of the sector.
The Permanent Secretary then assured the group that he will do everything possible to ensure that nutrition got additional funding and the needed personnel were used.
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