Council Approves ₦250 Million Matching Fund For Procurement Of Ready-To-Use Therapeutic Food 

By Mohammed Abubakar Dutse

As a demonstration of its commitment to combating child malnutrition and improving child health outcomes, the State Executive Council (SEC) has approved the release of the sum of ₦250 million as matching fund for the procurement of the Ready-To-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF)

The gesture, which in partnership with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) is aimed at addressing severe acute malnutrition (SAM) among children under five and ensuring that no child in the state is left behind in the fight against hunger and disease.

The approval for the Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) was granted during the State SEC) meeting at the Government House Council Chamber presided over by Governor Umar Namadi.

The commissioner for information, Sagir Ahmed Musa, while briefing reporters on the outcome of the meeting in Dutse, ob Tuesday, described the RUTF as a life-saving nutritional product used in the community-based treatment of children suffering from severe acute malnutrition.

The commissioner said the intervention was in collaboration with UNICEF, will significantly scale up access to treatment for affected children across the state.

He maintained that the Namadi administration was committed to delivering impactful health and nutrition programmes that target the most vulnerable populations, especially children, in order to reduce child mortality and improve long-term health outcomes.

The state government, he said remains committed to fostering strategic partnerships with international organizations and development partners to ensure the well-being of every child and promote a healthier, more productive future for the state.