By Segun Adewale in Gombe
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has handed over 11,580 cartons of Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) to the Gombe State Government to strengthen the treatment of children suffering from severe acute malnutrition across the state.
Speaking during the handing-over ceremony yesterday, the Chief of UNICEF Bauchi Field Office, Dr Nuzhat Rafique, commended the Gombe State Government for providing N500 million as counterpart funding for nutrition interventions in 2025.
Dr Rafique said the N500 million contribution was matched with an equal amount through the Child Nutrition Fund, enabling the procurement of vital nutrition supplies for malnourished children in the state.
She said the consignment comprised 11,580 cartons of RUTF containing millions of sachets for the treatment of children suffering from severe acute malnutrition, stressing the importance of ensuring that the supplies reach the intended beneficiaries.
The UNICEF Chief of Field Office called on community-based groups, including Mama2Mama and Fathers for Good Health, to intensify awareness that RUTF is specifically meant for children suffering from severe acute malnutrition and should not be used as regular food.
She explained that children placed on RUTF treatment must complete the prescribed course without interruption, urging parents and caregivers to strictly follow instructions from health workers to achieve the desired results.
Dr Rafique also commended the Gombe State Government for setting up a committee for the prevention of aid diversion, abuse and misuse of supplies. She called for effective monitoring and accountability mechanisms to prevent the diversion of the therapeutic food and ensure it gets to children who need it most.
The Gombe State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Professor Bertha Abdu, appreciated UNICEF for its continued interventions in the state, particularly programmes targeting the welfare of women and children.
Professor Abdu stressed that adequate nutrition is fundamental to the development of every child, noting that nutritional deficiencies during childhood could lead to several health and developmental challenges.
Also speaking, the Commissioner for Science, Technology and Innovation, Habu Dahiru, said raising children who are physically healthy and mentally sound is essential to the future development of the state.
Dahiru said the importance of RUTF in treating children suffering from severe acute malnutrition could not be overemphasised, adding that the state was complementing interventions by UNICEF through the local production of nutrient-rich food.
According to him, the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation has scaled up production of the locally developed nutritious food and is collaborating with the North-East Development Commission to expand the production facility to enable it to serve Gombe and neighbouring states.
He expressed the ministry’s readiness to collaborate with UNICEF and other development partners to further expand the production of the locally made nutritious food, particularly as part of efforts to tackle moderate malnutrition.
Dahiru assured that the government would closely monitor the distribution of the RUTF to ensure the supplies reach malnourished children for whom they were provided.
In his remarks, the Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Micah Sunday, described UNICEF as a major development partner that has continued to support efforts by the state government to improve the wellbeing and development of children.
Sunday said addressing malnutrition would not only improve children’s physical health but also support their brain development, education and overall wellbeing, enabling them to grow into healthy and productive members of society.
The handing over of the RUTF is expected to strengthen Gombe State’s response to severe acute malnutrition and improve access to life-saving nutritional treatment for vulnerable children across the state.
