By Carl Umegboro
Malnourished 2 year old child before admission
THE specially prepared child-malnutrition therapy; Ready-to-Use-Therapeutic Food (RUTF) has proven to be indispensable in the lives of children. By the distinctive remedy formulated to treat children suffering from severe acute malnutrition, a great figure diagnosed with severe acute malnutrition in the northwest, Nigeria and consequently were admitted for treatment, over ninety-five percent have been successfully cured and discharged. The remaining numbers subjected to needed therapies and recuperating speedily.
UNICEF in 2019 did a survey in Sokoto and Zamfara with a result of high number of children in the Internally-Displaced Persons’ (IDP) camps suffering from Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM). As a result, UNICEF approached the European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operation (ECHO) of the European Union (EU) for funding for its usual intervention over the deteriorating situation at that time.
ECHO complementarily supported UNICEF to mount a rapid humanitarian response which targeted 20 wards (7 in Sokoto and 13 in Zamfara) in 7 LGAs; 3 in Sokoto namely – Rabah, Goronyo and Sabon Birni in Sokoto, whilst 4 LGAs- Shinkafi, Maradun, Zurmi and Birnin Magaji in Zamfara state) that were badly affected and also without extreme security challenges at that time.
As a synergy, UNICEF collaborates with the State Primary Healthcare Development agencies in Sokoto and Zamfara to set up acute malnutrition treatment centres in all the identified 20 wards. These wards have a high number of IDPs though children from the host communities also benefit from the intervention. Full scale response kicked off in October 2019 and few months down the line, positive results have been recorded. What is the magic?
UNICEF with her research partners produced RUTF, formulated to curb children suffering from severe acute malnutrition and interestingly, treats children at no costs. This is arguably, on account that the strength of any society can be measured by the quality of children as they are the future leaders.
A Norwegian female political leader, Gro Harlem Brundtland who served three terms as Prime Minister of Norway and as Director-General, World Health Organization (WHO) from 1998 to 2003 made a remarkable and captivating statement some years ago;
“There can be no real growth without healthy populations. No sustainable development without tackling disease and malnutrition. No international security without assisting crisis-ridden countries. And no hope for the spread of freedom, democracy and human dignity unless we treat health as a basic human right”. These remarks remain a bombshell till tomorrow.
Among striking testimonies from the wonders of RUTF is speedy recoveries of Aisha Sani; a 2-year old girl in Dantassako in Goronyo Local Government Area, and Iliyasu Lauwali; also a 2-year old boy in Gandi, Rabah local Government Area, both in Sokoto state who suffered severe acute malnutrition until met by the Community Nutrition Mobilizers in the area. These two LGAs are among the identified areas. According to their mothers; Halima and Safiya respectfully, their conditions were pathetic prior to their treatments, but in a space of 7 weeks, they are back to life like other healthy children.
These children alongside others that were diagnosed and admitted for free treatment can now eat well and play in fine fettle. Of course, with the counseling to mothers by Nutrition experts on right feeding method and how to prevent malnutrition with local edibles rich in nutrients taught to ensure that after discharge, the ugly situations do not reoccur in the children’s lives in future. This is indeed remarkable.
From records, from October 2019 when full scale response began, a total number of 4,565 children were admitted in Sokoto while 5,755 in Zamfara state. From these numbers, 3,963 and 5,057 were successfully cured from malnutrition in Sokoto and Zamfara states respectively, and presently full of life.
For pregnant women that received iron and folic acid supplements, a record shows that a total number of 3,716 in Sokoto and 4,706 in Zamfara state have benefited from the intervention scheme. For the number of pregnant women and caregivers of children less than 2 years that receive counseling and guidance on childcare and adequate feeding against malnutrition, Sokoto has a total number of 5,688 while Zamfara; 8,219 numbers. About 80% of the beneficiaries are internally-Displaced Persons (IDPs) while the rest are from the host communities.
Instructively, malnutrition results from a poor diet; when the intake of nutrients or energy is too high, too low, or poorly balanced. By implications, malnutrition can occur in poor families and rich families that are ignorant of diets. It could be by emaciation or overweight, it is still malnutrition.
Hazardously, malnutrition has long-term implications which can enmesh generations of people in a vicious circle of poverty. Preventing malnutrition is therefore critical in eradicating poverty and positioning an economy for giant strides.
From records, it was once estimated that malnutrition could cost a society up to US$3.5 trillion a year, with overweight and obesity alone costing US$500 billion per annum. Likewise, economists maintained that in total, the cost of malnutrition could range from 2 to 3 percent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Of course, the education gap and consequent lower outputs of workforce can shake any economy plagued by malnutrition.
UNICEF Nutrition Consultant in Sokoto, Ijanada Aliyu emphasized that counseling and sensitization for pregnant and breastfeeding women to seriously embrace breastfeeding and other necessary foods and supplements for the good health of both children and mothers has been a robust and rewarding tool adopted in preventing the hazard as a complement to the RUTF wonder-therapy. In fact, RUTF is a leading proven antidote of child malnutrition.
Nevertheless, the unsurpassed means to prevent malnutrition is to eat a healthy, balanced diet. To achieve these, certainly, eating a variety of foods from the four main food groups’ especially sufficient fruits and vegetables is indispensable. Interestingly, most of these foods could be sourced from local menus with good knowledge of diets.
Umegboro, a public affairs analyst and Associate, Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (United Kingdom) can be reached via Https:CarlUmegboro.com
