By Sule Aliyu, Bauchi
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), with support from the United States Government, has provided small-quantity lipid-based nutrient supplements to more than 40,000 children aged six to 23 months in Bauchi State as part of efforts to prevent malnutrition.
UNICEF Nutrition Specialist at the Bauchi Field Office, Philomena Irene, disclosed this while speaking with journalists, saying the intervention was among measures being implemented to improve nutrition outcomes and strengthen maternal and child healthcare across the state.
She said the support, provided through a grant to the Bauchi State Government in collaboration with UNICEF and other partners, had strengthened nutrition interventions at both community and healthcare-facility levels.
According to her, UNICEF had also trained more than 6,000 members of the “Mama-to-Mama” and “Fathers for Good Health” groups to provide health education and promote positive health-seeking behaviours in their communities.
Irene said more than 50 healthcare workers had been trained at the facility level on the provision of nutrition supplementation, while logistics and information management systems had also been strengthened to improve the delivery and monitoring of interventions.
She added that the programme had strengthened Food and Nutrition Committees at the local government level, enabling councils to take greater ownership of nutrition interventions.
“With the support from the US Government, we have been able to strengthen the Food and Nutrition Committee at the local government level, especially by ensuring that local governments are in the forefront and drivers of nutrition interventions, both nutrition-sensitive and nutrition-specific activities,” Irene said.
She explained that some local governments had committed and released funds for nutrition activities, including the procurement of nutrition commodities, ready-to-use therapeutic food and multiple micronutrient supplements to prevent anaemia among pregnant women.
Irene further disclosed that UNICEF had conducted advocacy meetings with legislators and local government chairmen to secure stronger budgetary commitments for nutrition programmes.
She stressed the importance of the first 1,000 days of a child’s life, describing the period from pregnancy to a child’s second birthday as a critical window for growth and development.
“The first 1,000 days in the life of a child, from when the mother is pregnant to when the child is two years, is the most critical period in the life of a child.
“This is a particular period where we call the window of opportunity, where about 75 per cent of brain development is taking place, while the muscular and skeletal systems and vital organs are being developed,” she said.
Irene warned that poor nutrition and inadequate healthcare during the period could have long-term consequences for children’s development, health and productivity.
She said increased investment in nutrition during the first 1,000 days would also help reduce future government expenditure on healthcare, education and other social services.
Meanwhile, community volunteers participating in the awareness campaigns said the initiatives had contributed to changes in health-seeking behaviour among families in Bauchi.
In Dawaki and Dankade Wards, Bauchi LGA, volunteers conduct door-to-door sensitisation campaigns without medical equipment, relying entirely on community trust and education.
Bilkisu Yahaya, a Mama-to-Mama volunteer from Dankade Ward who was trained in April 2026, explained that her role involves closely monitoring pregnant women and mothers to ensure they access skilled care.
“When we identify a woman or a child who needs attention, we assess the situation and provide the necessary support. If the condition requires further medical attention, we encourage or refer the person to a health facility,” Adama said.
In this regard, community acceptance in Bauchi LGA has been overwhelming, leading to a drastic reduction in local malnutrition cases.
She noted that volunteers teach mothers to recognise early warning signs, such as poor growth, loss of appetite and skin changes, before the condition becomes severe, adding that once diagnosed, children are placed on Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) at local health centres.
The campaign also actively engages men through the Fathers for Good Health network to shift domestic health practices.
Murtala Yusuf, Leader of the Fathers for Good Health group in Dankade Ward, said the group engages men and encourages them to support their wives throughout pregnancy, childbirth and child immunisation.
Yusuf identified exclusive breastfeeding during the first six months as one of the major challenges confronting the group.
He said some men insisted that babies should be given water and other foods before six months because that was how they were raised.
“We go from house to house to talk to our fellow men to support their wives during pregnancy, from antenatal care to birth and immunisation, and they are really supporting us,” he said.
He said he had personally convinced some members of his community who previously refused to take their children for vaccination to embrace immunisation.
“A major success I achieved was changing my neighbour’s mindset. Previously, he would not take his children for vaccinations.
“However, after raising his awareness, guiding him and dispelling the myths circulating about vaccines, he now ensures that his children are vaccinated and his wives attend the hospital,” he said