By: Monday Danladi, Bauchi
The broader importance of sustained nutrition interventions by the Bauchi State Government and United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) through the Child Nutrition Fund (CNF) in preventing and treating child malnutrition, particularly among vulnerable populations in Bauchi State has been stressed.
The call was made through personal testimonials from mothers and caregivers, highlighting their experiences before and after treatment and the difference Ready-to-use-therapeutic-food (RUTF), has made in the rapid recovery of their children.
The mothers made the expression while speaking to Journalists at the Aisha Isa Yuguda Primary Healthcare Center, Darazo, during an assessment visit to the facility to monitor how the RUTF was being distributed following the collaboration between Bauchi State Government, United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the Child Nutrition Fund (CNF).
A cross section of mothers with their children waiting for RUTF
The children seen during the visit are showing tangible evidence of impact, including improvements in their health, growth, energy levels, and overall well-being, as well as the positive effects on families and communities.
At the Integrated Management of Acute Malnutrition, (IMAM), Centre in Darazo LGA, mothers are lining up each week with a shared plea: don’t let the small silver sachets run out.
For Fatima Adamu of Tsakani community, Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food, (RUTF), has pulled her 1-year-old daughter, Amina, back from severe acute malnutrition, (SAM), after weaning left the toddler refusing food and wasting away.
According to her, “My daughter is 1 year old. Since I started giving her RUTF, she is regaining weight and increasing in body size. Her weight is far better than when I brought her here,”
Fatima said that last Thursday was her fourth visit to the Aisha Yuguda Primary Health Centre, Darazo, for the weekly collection of the substance for her daughter.
“I thank the Bauchi State Government, Child Nutrition Fund, UNICEF and other donors for ensuring that the RUTF was made readily available for our dying children, free of charge.” She said.
Also speaking, Suwaiba Ahmadu, pleaded after 2-year-old Rabi went from 6.2kg and “completely dehydrated” to 8.4kg in two months of RUTF use.
Suwaiba Ahmadu had arrived at the Zorro community facility a month ago fearing her child would die, but expressed happiness that the situation has changed positively, saying, “I’m calling on authorities to sustain RUTF supply and availability in order to save the lives of our malnourished children.”
For 7-month-old Na’ima of Anguwan Zarmai, who refused breast milk and formula, 14 sachets every week took her from 3.5kg to 4kg in a month.
First-time mother, Zainab Sanusi, 26, walked in after illness made breastfeeding difficult for her 5-month-old.
The stories repeat weekly at Darazo’s IMAM Centre. But health officials and mothers agree: recovery depends on shelves that never go empty.
As Fatima Yusuf, mother of Na’ima, urged fellow mothers not to hesitate to bring children with malnutrition symptoms, she joined others in calling on the Bauchi State Government, Child Nutrition Fund, and UNICEF to sustain the gesture and ensure zero stockouts.
For Amina, Na’ima, Rabi and hundreds more in Darazo, those sachets mean more than calories. They mean a second chance at childhood, if the supply holds.
Abdullahi Bello, Nutrition Focal Person for Darazo LGA, said the centre treats 300 to 400 malnourished children weekly since the shift from CMAC to IMAM built community trust. The centre just received 200 cartons of RUTF, 150 sachets per carton. Protocol is 14 sachets per child weekly, plus nutrition education for mothers.
Abdullahi Bello warned that the progress remains fragile without consistent supply saying that, “The pre-RUTF times were very bad. Stockouts drove malnutrition rates up across the community and state,”
He also said that, “Before RUTF, caregivers relied on “Tom Brown,” but economic hardship made it scarce.”
Health workers say early detection and RUTF cut mortality and boost recovery for children under five, especially in rural areas where nutrient-rich foods are limited.
Speaking to Journalists at the end of the field vist, the Nutrition Specialist of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Philomena Irene, said that, “Really, with the increase in cost of living in Nigeria, and generally in the North East, particularly in Bauchi State, we have seen increasingly families not being able to provide food for children, which is leading to severe acute malnutrition. Generally, through the Child Nutrition Fund (CNF), UNICEF is working with the State Government, collaborating to ensure that there is contribution for 2026 so that children are not malnourished or do not suffer any form of morbidity or mortality due to severe acute malnutrition.’
She added that, “By and large, too, we are working with other partners to provide nutrition-sensitive interventions. For instance, we are working with Bauchi State Agriculture Development Agency (BSADP) to ensure that families are food sufficient with the provision of seedlings and provision of Economic roots and economic crops so that food can be in the household. We are taking one step at a time to ensure sustainability and food sufficiency at home.”
Health Workers attending to one of the clients
Philomena Irene disclosed that, “The State Governor, Sen Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed, has approved the sum of N500 for 2026. We are working with the Executive Chairman of State Primary Healthcare Development Board and also Ministry of Finance to ensure it is released before the end of the first half of the year. So hopefully, we are very hopeful before the end of the first half, these funds will be released for the procurement of more ready-to-eat therapeutic food for our nourished children.”
Talking about prevention measures, She said that, “I’ve said it in the first one what we are doing in prevention. We’ll continue to work with other sectors for nutrition-sensitive interventions, such as working with the agriculture development agency to provide climate-sensitive seedlings to families that can grow and mature within three months, the raining season, so there can be food storage at home.”
“And, also we are working with RUWASSA to ensure that there’s clean and potable water for drinking to avoid acute watery diarrhea diseases, especially for children under five,” She added.
Philomena Irene stressed that, “So far, it is a work in progress. There is still more to be done in the State because the level of malnutrition keeps increasing every day, coupled with other factors like the climate factors, the climate factors that we are seeing, and also the drought that is encroaching. So it is a work in progress.”
One of the mothers with her child
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