By Usman Usman Garba
Alive and Thrive has organized a one-day Multiple Micronutrient Supplementation (MMS) program to give some stakeholders in Kano an orientation on nutrition to save lives, prevent illness, and ensure healthy growth and development through optimal maternal nutrition, breastfeeding, and complementary feeding practices.
During the program, held at Tahir Guest Palace, Kano, Thursday, Doctor Ashiru Hamza, the state team leader, of FHI 360, Alive and Thrive, stated that the main objectives of the one-day orientation were to engage state and local government nutrition stakeholders on how to improve multiple Micronutrient Supplementation knowledge and skills respectively.
He said, “The main objectives of the program is to improve state and local government nutrition Stakeholders MMS Programming/planning knowledge and skills respectively,
“It is also to help state and local government nutrition Stakeholders appreciate A&Ta MMS mandates and support as well as securing nutrition Stakeholders’ buy-in.
Others were to “Integrate A&Ts MMS implementation plan for the second half of 2024; and Understand state, LGA, PHC, Community specific capacity building/training methodology (health Care ProviProvidersCommunity Resources Persons level).
In his part, Doctor James Olayede, the Senior Technical Advisor Nutrition Alive and Thrive FHI 360 has emphasized that one in five maternal deaths and nearly half of all child deaths under age five were caused by malnutrition.
Advising that women need nutritious, safe, affordable, and sustainable diets along with essential nutrition services and positive nutrition practices for their surv, health and well-being as well as that of their children,
He said, “Protecting women’s nutrition is especially important during pregnancy and breastfeeding, when nutrient requirements increase and vulnerability is greatest, and poor nutrition during pregnancy has serious adverse effects on birth and maternal health.
“Mann nourished also likely to suffer from conditions such as anaemia, which increase the risk of preterm birth, post partupostpartumge, the leading cause of maternal death
Doctor Olayede has, however, highlighted that children born to malnourished women were more likely to be born too small, too soon, or stillborn and those who survived infancy were likely to experience physical and cognitive setbacks that could keep them from reaching their full potential as adults.
He also suggested that when a woman is pregnant, there is an increased oral need to meet the physiological conditions, sustain fetal growth and development, protect the health of the mother during pregnancy and prepare her for breastfeeding.
“To prevent maternal anaemia and other micronutrient deficiencies and decrease the risk of diet- ladies-related editions, pregnant women are recommended to consume an adequately nutritious diet composed of a variety of foods, with emphasis on iron-rich foods (such as beef. poultry, and iron-fortified foods).
“Daily micronutrient supplementation that includes 30-60 mg of iron and 4ironcg of folic acid as recommended by the WHO (2020),” he stated.
In an interview with one of the Nutritionists from Takai Locathe l Government area, Takai NYSC PHC, Bayero Ahmed, lamented the lack of nutritional requirements from governments and the plumpy nuts for children were unavailable in most of the hospitals not only in Takai but the whole state.
Also, Muhammad Sabi’u Abdulkadir, nutrition the focal person of the Gaya Local Government area has appreciated the effort of Alive and Thrive for Kano State.
“Honestly, in Gaya, we are not facing challenges set for one year. e and Thrive have done a lot. So we have nothing to say than to appreciate and thank them because if not for their intervention, the worst will happen.
“We have 32 hospitals in Gaya but Alive and Thrive gave training to 30 personnel, distributed and d posters, Templates, calendars and scales to various hospitals in the local government,” he appreciated.
Similarly, Amina Garba Guda, one of the focal persons of Karaye Local Government has stated that they have never received any kind of training or sensitization on nutrition by Alive and Thrive than what they have witnessed today.
Alive & Thrive is an initiative to save lives, prevent illness, and ensure healthy growth and development through optimal maternal nutrition, breastfeeding, and complementary feeding practices.
Through application n of its evidence-based framework and utilization of its robust network of partners, Alive & Thrive builds momentum, breaks down barriers, and supports a better future for women and children.
The program encompassed two selected persons from each local government of Kano State, that is, nutrition focal persons (NFP) and Assistant Nutrition Focal Persons (ANFP) respectively.
