UNICEF laments alarming child malnutrition rates in Kano

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has sounded the alarm over the nutritional crisis facing children in Kano State, revealing that 51.9 per cent are stunted due to chronic malnutrition.

The stark figures were disclosed during the official handover of Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) in Takai local government area of the state, under a joint government and UNICEF Child Nutrition Match Fund initiative.

Rahma Farah, UNICEF’s chief of field office in Kano, represented by Dr. Serekeberehan Deres, said the statistics translate to “one in every two children in the state not growing well”.

He added that over 10 per cent of children are too thin for their height, often due to recent and severe weight loss, a condition that drastically raises the risk of death if left untreated.

Farah said child malnutrition remains a major public health concern that requires urgent attention from all stakeholders.

He stressed the need for greater investment in nutrition-specific and nutrition-sensitive interventions, especially within the first 1,000 days of life.

He urged the government, civil society organisations, and community leaders to scale up access to nutrition services, education, clean water, and healthcare, noting that investment in child nutrition is one of the most cost-effective interventions for national development.

Abubakar Labaran, Kano state commissioner for health, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to improving child malnutrition, citing recently launched maternal and child health programmes.

He pledged continued collaboration with UNICEF and other partners to reduce malnutrition and improve child survival rates.

Malnutrition is a leading cause of child mortality and poor educational performance in Nigeria, with northern states bearing the brunt of the crisis.