By DUMAH RANDONG
THE Plateau State Government has procured Small-Quantity Lipid-Based Nutrient Supplement (SQ-LNS) worth $100 million for distribution to 80,000 children across the state in a decisive effort to combat malnutrition.
Governor Caleb Mutfwang, represented by his Deputy, Ngo Josephine Piyo, disclosed this during the flag-off ceremony held Monday at Government House, Little Rayfield. Jos.
The governor lauded the initiative of UNICEF through its Child Nutrition Match Fund mechanism, which allowed government to avert irreversible damage to the cognitive, intellectual and physical development of children.
He stressed that Plateau State was pleased to be part of a child-lens investment aimed at preventing malnutrition among children aged 6-23 months, noting that the key to good health and mental development lay in appropriate complementary feeding.
Mutfwang reiterated his administration’s commitment to ensuring significant long-term impacts on children through the implementation of cost-effective nutrition interventions designed to save lives and reduce childhood suffering.
He further noted that malnutrition remained a nationwide problem, worsened by security challenges that heightened the vulnerability of people, and pledged continuous mobilisation of resources to tackle the issue in the state.
The governor also appreciated UNICEF for its partnership, not only in nutrition but also in basic education, health, social protection and communication for development.
UNICEF Country Representative, Wafaa Saeed, disclosed that UNICEF was working in 194 countries, including Nigeria, to support governments and communities in ensuring that children get the best start in life, particularly in education.
She emphasised UNICEF’s alignment and commitment to supporting government efforts in providing nutrition supplies for children, describing non-nutrition as a global crisis.
Saeed commended Plateau State for its leadership role and for providing an excellent model for other states to emulate.
Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Mr Adams Lekshak, explained that the state government had signed an MoU with UNICEF to make a multi-year commitment to sustainable nutrition programmes targeting malnutrition among children.
He revealed that the governor approved $200,000 for the partnership, leading to the procurement of 5,392 cartons of SQ-LNS in this phase.
He added that 141,592 children across the state were eligible for the intervention.
Executive Secretary of the Primary Healthcare Board, Dr Raymond Juryit, while giving an overview of nutrition in Plateau State, admitted that the state had underperformed and stressed the need for a policy framework to properly address malnutrition.
On his part, ALGON Chairman and Chairman of Jos South Local Government Area, Silas Dung, pledged the commitment of local governments in the state to combating malnutrition.
Also speaking, the Uja of Anaguta, Pozoh Johnson Magaji, who represented the Plateau Council of Chiefs, pledged the support of traditional rulers in strengthening the government-UNICEF partnership to eradicate malnutrition in Plateau State. Highlight of the event was the symbolic handover of the SQ-LNS consignment by the UNICEF Country Representative to the Plateau State Government.