Borno partners NGOs to scale up maternal, infant nutrition

A Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), fhi360, in collaboration with Alive and Thrive, and the Borno State Government, has moved to tackle malnutrition in the State, scaling up the nutrition of maternal, infant and young children in Maiduguri and nine other Local Government Areas of the State.

BusinessDay reports that stakeholders at the fhi360 Alive and thrive project closeout meeting emphasised the vital role of nutrition for a better healthcare system.

The stakeholders said that itenhancing nutrition as a foundation for improve healthcare, reinforces the need for continued investment in health initiatives across Nigeria, was the focus of fhi360 Alive and Thrive Project.

Speaking on the nutrition programme held in Maiduguri, Gloria Eneh, Senior Technical Adviser Training and Capacity Building fhi360 and Alive and Thrive, outlined some of the achievements of the NGO alongside partners such as nutrition initiatives to save lives, prevention of illness and improving the health and well-being of mother, child and the adolescent in Maiduguri and the other nine LGAs of the State.

Eneh said they had successfully produced and distributed more than 24,000 maternal, infant, and young child nutrition in Nigeria (MIYCN) and had sensitised over 15 media practitioners in print, television and radio in MIYCN reporting and advocacy.

Read also: Infant and young child feeding in Nigeria

She commended the Borno State Ministry of Health, State Primary Healthcare Development Board, Borno State Ministry of Budget and Planning, NAFDAC, UNICEF, and Community Based NGOs for their support in achieving success.

“Alive and Thrive is a global initiative to save lives, prevent illness, improve the health and well-being of mothers, children and adolescents by using evidence-based approaches in collaboration with Government and other partners at global, regional, national and community levels”, Eneh said.

She said that in the Local Government Areas of the State, the nutrition programme had drastically reduced malnutrition, including Bama, Bayo, Hawul, Biu, Jere , Kaga, Konduga, Mobbar and Magumeri.

Abdulwahab Mala, Director of Community and Family Healthcare Services of the State Primary Healthcare Development Board, lauded fhi360, Alive and Thrive for their overwhelming support in preventing acute malnutrition despite challenges of insecurity.

Mala, represented by Mohammed Arab, Executive Secretary of the Board, urged the partners to include the other 17 Local Government Areas of the State in their next project.

Similarly, other partners praised fhi360 for its crucial role in addressing maternal and child nutrition issues in Nigeria, detailing structured programmes aimed at improving health issues in the community.

Fati Ali, Director Disease Control and Immunisation from the State Primary Healthcare Development Board, also appreciated fhi360 and Alive and Thrive for giving Borno State the opportunity to implement the activities.