Yola: The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has delivered over 4,290 cartons of Small Quantity Lipid-Based Nutrient Supplements (SQLNS) to the Adamawa Government to address malnutrition and related health issues.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the supplements were funded by donors, including the UK Government, the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation, and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Through UNICEF’s Children Nutrition Fund, a 1:1 match-funding model allows governments to double their investment in nutrition, enhancing efforts in malnutrition prevention, detection, and treatment.
Dr. Nuzhat Rafique, Chief of Field Office, UNICEF Bauchi, handed over the supplements during a ceremony on Thursday in Yola. Rafique stated that the 4,290 cartons of SQLNS contained approximately 2.57 million doses, anticipated to aid at least 85,000 children in the state. SQLNS is a specially formulated food supplement designed to prevent undernutrition and support child survival, growth, and development. It addresses stunting, wasting, and anemia by providing essential proteins, energy, and 23 vital vitamins and minerals.
Rafique commended the Adamawa Government for its commitment to the Child Nutrition Fund (CNF) mechanism and acknowledged the support of donors and UNICEF’s role in managing the fund. She noted that Adamawa is among the first states to leverage this matching grant opportunity to support mothers, children, and vulnerable groups. Rafique expressed gratitude to the state government and donors for their contributions in reaching the most vulnerable children in Adamawa and across Nigeria.
Mr. Felix Tangwami, Adamawa Commissioner for Health and Human Resources, praised UNICEF and donor partners for their dedication to combating malnutrition. He attributed the rise in malnutrition to insurgency and insecurity, which have severely disrupted farming activities and reduced access to nutritious food in the state. Tangwami assured that the supplements would be properly distributed and utilized to reach the intended beneficiaries.
Dr. Bashir Sulaiman, Executive Chairman, Adamawa Primary Healthcare Development Agency, commended the state government’s commitment and swift action in securing funding. He revealed that the governor released ?100 million for the matching grant for SQLNS procurement and further committed ?300 million for the current year to sustain the fight against malnutrition. Sulaiman called for continued collaboration with UNICEF to improve nutrition and overall health outcomes for women and children in the state.