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Kaduna council approves multi-sectoral strategic plan against malnutrition

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The Kaduna State Human Capital Development Council has approved the State Multi-Sectoral Strategic Plan of Action on Nutrition (KDMSPAN), 2020 -2024, to address the problem of malnutrition in the state.

Malam Salisu Lawal, Director, Development Aid Coordination, Planning and Budget Commission (PBC), made this known in an interview with ROYAL NEWS in Kaduna on Thursday.

ROYAL NEWS reports that the KDMSPAN was developed in 2019 with support from UNICEF, Save the Children International (SCI), Alive and Thrive, Civil Society-Scaling Up Nutrition in Nigeria (CS-SUNN), the media, and other stakeholders.

Lawal said that the KDMSPAN was approved on Monday, during the weekly Human Capital Development Council meeting, Chaired by the state Deputy Governor, Dr Hadiza Balarabe.

He said that the approval followed a joint memo submitted to the council by PBC and the Ministry of Health.

He explained that the multisectoral plan was designed to strengthen the fight against malnutrition in the state.

According to him, winning the war against malnutrition requires a strong collaboration with development partners, the academia, media, private sector, and all relevant stakeholders.

“This development marked another milestone in our journey towards curbing the scourge of malnutrition and saving our children from preventable death.

“The plan is a strong foundation for a multisectoral approach to address the scourge and improve food and nutrition in the state.

“It will serve as a guide for the identification, design and implementation of interventions across the various sectors to ensure adequate nutrition and health of Kaduna residents,” he said.

Reacting, SCI Nutrition Advocacy Advisor Mr Isah Ibrahim, said that the five-year plan would significantly improve the nutritional status of the state’s population.

Ibrahim said that the plan, if well implemented, would address the scourge of malnutrition among children aged zero to 23 months, lactating mothers, pregnant women, and adolescents.

“This will be achieved through the implementation of nutrition-specific (curative) and nutrition-sensitive (preventive) interventions, as well as strengthening the nutrition service delivery systems.

“The plan will enable the state government and its development partners to make informed decisions on nutrition programme planning, budgeting, resource mobilisation and allocation,” he said.

On his part, CS-SUNN Coordinator in the state, Mr Silas Ideva, described the development as “crucial” in winning the fight against malnutrition in the state.

Ideva pointed out that the KDMSPAN provided a framework for addressing the problem of malnutrition in the state.

He said that the plan would help the state to ensure optimal nutrition for women and children, through the scaling up of priority high-impact nutrition specific and nutrition sensitive interventions.

“It will also create an enabling environment for improved nutrition services focusing on the most vulnerable in communities,” he said.

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