The Kebbi State government and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) have launched an emergency nutrition programme to distribute 10,500 cartons of Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) across 11 local government areas in a bid to combat severe acute malnutrition (SAM).
Speaking at the official launch in Birnin Kebbi on Saturday, Governor Nasir Idris commended UNICEF for its swift response to the humanitarian and nutritional challenges facing vulnerable children in the state. He described the intervention as timely and aligned with his administration’s commitment to improving healthcare delivery, nutrition, education, water, sanitation, and food security.
The governor thanked UNICEF for procuring and distributing more than 10,000 cartons of RUTF, noting that the intervention would save thousands of children suffering from SAM across the affected areas.
“I wish to convey my sincere appreciation to UNICEF for its prompt response to the pressing humanitarian needs in the affected local government areas of Kebbi State,” Mr Idris said. “This swift action aligns perfectly with our administration’s commitment to enhancing essential human services and improving the well-being of our people.”
He reaffirmed his administration’s dedication to human capital development, particularly maternal and child healthcare.
Earlier, the Commissioner for Health, Alhaji Sama’ila Yakubu-Augie, represented by the Director of Medical Services, Dr Jibril Labbo-Gwandu, said the intervention would cover high-burden areas including Augie, Bagudo, Suru, Fakai, Maiyama, Danko/Wasagu, Ngaski, Dandi, Zuru, and Shanga.
In a goodwill message, UNICEF Social Policy Specialist Isah Ibrahim said recent nutrition surveys had revealed alarming malnutrition indicators in the state. According to the latest Standardised Monitoring and Assessment of Relief and Transitions (SMART) Survey, Kebbi recorded a stunting prevalence of 40.9 per cent and a wasting rate of 11.3 per cent among children.
He added that the Integrated Phase Classification for Acute Malnutrition (IPC-AM) analysis projected that approximately 130,000 children aged 0–59 months would suffer from SAM in Kebbi in 2026.
“The findings identified 11 of the state’s 21 local government areas as having particularly high malnutrition burdens,” Mr Ibrahim said. “Based on this evidence, UNICEF designated the affected councils as Humanitarian Action for Children (HAC) intervention areas requiring comprehensive curative and preventive nutrition services.”
He disclosed that UNICEF had supplied 10,500 cartons of RUTF for the initial phase and had also strengthened healthcare delivery by training health workers and community nutrition mobilisers in the first six intervention areas.
Mr Ibrahim stressed, however, that sustainable progress would require increased government ownership, adequate domestic financing, and accountability at all levels. He urged the state government to ensure the timely release of counterpart funding under the Child Nutrition Fund (CNF), noting that UNICEF would match every dollar invested through the initiative.
He also reiterated UNICEF’s zero-tolerance policy on aid diversion, warning that RUTF is strictly for children with severe acute malnutrition. “Every carton diverted represents a child denied a chance to survive, while every carton delivered to the right beneficiary represents a life saved,” he said.
The UNICEF official acknowledged donor partners, including the governments of the United States, Canada, and the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA).
Also speaking, the Executive Secretary of the Kebbi State Primary Health Care Development Agency (KBSPHCDA), Alhaji Abubakar Noma, described the launch as a major step toward addressing malnutrition among children under five. He urged health workers, community volunteers, and programme implementers to ensure accountability and transparency, and called on traditional and religious leaders to support community sensitisation efforts.
“The intervention represents a collective commitment to saving lives, reducing malnutrition, and securing a healthier future for children across Kebbi,” Mr Noma said.