UNICEF supports treatment of 700,000 malnourished children

UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) on Friday in Abuja says it supported 700,000 malnourished children in the country with Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) as at December 2018.

The Chief Nutritionist, UNICEF Nigeria, Dr Simeon Nanama, told News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja that over the years, UNICEF had supported the government to prevent and address the problem of malnutrition in the country.

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The partnership, according to him, includes rendering technical support in focused states for intervention to develop policies, strategies and plans to address malnutrition.

He added that the organisation also supported the government on issues related to legislation that could create a favourable environment for improved nutrition.

He added that “at an operational level, we also support the treatment of malnutrition with the RUTF.

“In 2018, we reached out to 700,000 children with RUTF to tackle malnutrition.”

Nanama said that the priority was to prevent children from being malnourished, but when prevention measures failed, treatment components would be introduced.

“In terms of prevention, we educate mothers on how best to feed children to prevent malnutrition.

“This includes exclusive breastfeeding for six months and the introduction of complementary foods thereafter.”

The chief nutritionist said such intervention efforts were being done in collaboration with community leaders and
urged state governments to invest in programmes that would address malnutrition.