The Governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo, has reiterated his administration’s commitment to considerable reduction in maternal, neonatal and child mortality as well as improve Nutrition and strengthen routine health care service delivery in the state.
Governor Ododo who stated this on Monday, while declaring open, the Kogi State Training the Trainers (STOT), on integrated management of Acute Malnutrition (IMAM), organized by the Ministry of Health in collaboration with ANRiN project, noted that all these steps are essential for improving the health of women and children in Kogi state.
The Governor who was represented by his Chief of Staff, Alhaji Ali Bello said “With God Almighty on our side, we have been delivering on our promises to the people of the State and we promise to continue to do so. One of such promises is what we have come to flag off today. This is to initiate processes of improving skills of our health workers to treat and return malnourished children in the
State to normal health.
“Let me say at this juncture, that malnutrition happens during the “first 1000 days” of life, that is, the period from conception to a child’s second birthday.
“Many children fall behind in nutrition from the age of 6 months until two years. This significant deterioration in nutritional status can be prevented by focusing on a set of well-proven interventions. The Governor noted
The Governor listed these interventions to include; appropriate Maternal, Infant and Young Child Nutrition, Prevention and appropriate treatment of diarrhoea with Zinc and oral rehydration solution (ORS) and Provision of Vitamin A and other essential vitamins and minerals through food fortification and supplementation.
Others according to the Governor are; Half yearly deworming, and
healthy sanitation behaviours, which are hand washing before preparing meals and feeding children.
“These inexpensive and cost-effective interventions can be scaled-up relatively rapidly, thus not only boosting children’s chances of survival, but enabling them to fully develop their cognitive functions, preparing them to be active learners and contributors to economic growth. Most of the damage caused by malnutrition is largely irreversible later in life.
“Conversely, the benefits from early nutrition captured by young children are carried with them for the rest of their lives. This is why the State government has committed a lot of resources to ensure malnutrition is drastically reduced. He said
He stressed that while the Government is committed to preventing Malnutrition in the State through all these interventions and more, his administration have gone ahead to initiate treatment those those who are acutely malnourished and bring them back to normal and good health status.
“In doing this, the State is training over 10,000 health workers of various cadres which are, Health workers, Community volunteers, store keepers among others to improve their skills in treating acute malnutrition and combing every corner of the State to bring malnourished children for treatment.
“In addition, we have purchased commodities worth hundreds of millions of Naira to treat our children and these shall be available in all referral centres in the State.
“Government has also approved three IMAM stabilization centres in the State, these are in addition to other interventions to address the issue of Nutrition and improve its outcomes. He noted
According to him, Kogi State Health Insurance Agency have been instructed to take care of treatment charges for all malnourished children who might appear in referral centres with other co-morbidities.
Speaking further the Governor said, departments of nutrition have been created in all line ministries in the State, with budget lines while Government supports the training of over 10,000 women on homestead gardens in the state with support of farm implements and improved seedlings.
“I call on the leaders of all the Local Governments to give necessary assistance needed to ensure the success of this initiative across the state. I also call on the Traditional Rulers, Religious Leaders, women groups and other community based organizations to sensitize and mobilize people in their areas to ensure every child especially within 6 months to 59 months access all the health deliverables available through the Health Care facilities.
Earlier, the Commissioner of Health, Dr. Abdulazeez Adams Adeiza, Called on participants to take the training seriously, assuring that the state government is poised at
getting right the nutritional condition of the children in the state, through considerable reduction in malnutrition.
Speaking also the Chief Medical Director, (CMD), Kogi State Specialists Hospital, Lokoja, Dr Oluseye Folagbade, noted that the Training the Trainers (STOT), on integrated management of Acute Malnutrition (IMAM) will lead to better patients management.
The Executive Director, (ED), Kogi state Primary Healthcare Agency, Dr. Mu’azu Musa Omeiza, enjoined the trainees to cascade down the training to the grassroots, saying that the partners and the state government have put in enormous resources to ensure better healthcare delivery in Kogi State.
The Chairman of Kogi State Hospital Management Board (HMB), Dr Olayemi Ayo said the Kogi state Governor, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo is committed to the welfare of health workers in the state and stressed the need them to put in their best in the discharge of their duties
The Accelerating Nutrition Results in Nigeria, (ANRiN project) is a federal government initiative aimed at reducing chronic malnutrition in Nigeria. It is a state-led, World Bank-funded project focused on increasing the utilization of quality, cost-effective nutrition services for vulnerable populations, particularly pregnant and lactating women, adolescent girls, and children under five years of age.
Participants, including Dr. Grace Afolabi, Kogi State Reproductive Health Coordinator, and Dr. Abubakar Alhassan, Director of Medical Services and Training at the Kogi State Hospital Management Board, commended the ministry of health and ANRiN project for the training. their, adding that it as a vital step towards addressing malnutrition in the state