From Umar Danladi Ado, Sokoto
The Sokoto State Ministry of Health, in collaboration with the Sokoto State Primary Healthcare Development Agency and the UNICEF Sokoto Field Office, has officially handed over nutrition commodities to the Sokoto State Government.
The event, supported through the Child Nutrition Fund (CNF), aims to strengthen efforts to combat malnutrition and improve child health outcomes across the state.
With this development, the Sokoto State Government and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) have strengthened their partnership on child health through a combined N200 million intervention targeting severe malnutrition, even as officials issued a stern warning against the diversion of life-saving supplies.
At a formal handover ceremony in Sokoto on Sunday, UNICEF’s Deputy Country Representative, Dr. Rownak Khan, commended the state for committing N100 million to the Child Nutrition Fund, an amount matched by UNICEF under its co-financing model.
“Not all states have allocated funds for this matching grant. Sokoto has shown leadership and commitment to improving the survival, growth, and development of its most vulnerable children,” she said.
Khan cited alarming figures, noting that more than 260,000 children in the state suffer from severe acute malnutrition, while many others remain unvaccinated.
She stressed the need for a holistic approach to child health, combining nutrition, immunisation, and maternal care.
She also revealed that fresh data from the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey, conducted with the National Bureau of Statistics, would provide a new baseline for tracking progress in the coming months.
Highlighting accountability, Khan praised Sokoto for achieving “100 per cent reconciliation” of nutrition commodities from central stores down to local government levels, an uncommon feat among participating states.
Also speaking, the Head of the UNICEF Sokoto Field Office, Michael Juma, said the intervention would expand access to Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) and other critical supplies.
He urged stakeholders to prioritise preventive nutrition and dietary diversity, warning that rising malnutrition cases could undermine educational outcomes if not addressed early.
“We must ensure these commodities are used strictly for children in need. Accountability is critical,” he said.
In his remarks, the State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Abubakar Faruk, described the initiative as a clear reflection of Governor Ahmed Aliyu’s commitment to tackling hunger and child mortality.
He disclosed that recent surveys indicate that up to 85 per cent of children in the state are affected by malnutrition, with 73 per cent of households facing related challenges.
Faruk warned that the era of unchecked handling of nutrition supplies was over.
“This time, there will be no diversion. We have established a multi-level accountability framework involving local government chairmen, health directors, and community stakeholders to ensure transparent distribution,” he said.
According to him, only verified beneficiaries, malnourished children and vulnerable pregnant women will receive the supplies, with strict monitoring mechanisms in place down to primary healthcare facilities.
The Child Nutrition Fund, supported by global partners including the Gates Foundation and FCDO, operates a matching model designed to scale up domestic investment while ensuring shared accountability.
Stakeholders expressed optimism that Sokoto could emerge as a model for the effective utilisation of nutrition funding if current commitments are sustained.