Bros and sis, make I gist you wetin dey happen for Bauchi state wey fit make our pikin dem belly sweet again. Bauchi State Government don yan say dem go drop N500 million for 2026 for nutrition wahala, and United Nations Children’s Fund go match this money. Na so N1 billion go dey ready for all the nutrition intervention wey dem plan!
Dr. Rilwanu Mohammed, wey be di Executive Chairman for Bauchi State Primary Health Care Board, na im talk this matter for Tuesday as e dey jolly with journalists for Bauchi. E clear say dis partnership wey dey between UNICEF and di state go make sure say plenty ole food dey reach our children wey dey suffer for malnutrition.
Last year, both di state and UNICEF contribute N300 million each. Na wetin make dem notice say di matter dey serious. As e be now, dem don increase di state side from N100 million to N500 million. Na dem dey follow di ‘matching-grant’ arrangement wey dey mean say for every kobo wey di state drop, UNICEF go match am one-for-one.
Dr. Mohammed talk say with dis N500 million wey di governor don approve, UNICEF go drop di same amount, so e go make am N1 billion for nutrition programme. Parte of di moni go spend for special commodities wey go help treat and prevent malnutrition. E don land 15 million doses of nutrition-drugs, especially di ones dem dey use for Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food, so e go dey reach di community wey dey suffer pass.
Bin dey komot tin for mouth, e still mention say Bauchi dey among di seven states wey dey face serious malnutrition wahala. Na why di funding go focus on di areas wey dey seriously affected. Dr. Mohammed dey plan to create nutrition endowment fund to make sure say dis program fit continue o, because we no wan fall back again.
E no stop for dey. Di man don also increase di health budget from N22 billion to N40 billion to ensure say dem fit meet di Abuja Declaration wey state say make all states set aside at least 15% of dia yearly budget for health. Dat one na serious move wey suppose fit help plenty pipo.
But e still get wahala wey dey ground. Dr. Mohammed dey worry about vaccine-preventable diseases and Hepatitis B wey dey show face for some community. E dey blame am on di pipo wey dey refuse to complete dia vaccination. Dem dey plan to launch investigation for di areas wey dem notice cases, and dem go work with other partners to test and vaccinate di community.
Abeg, make we tell our people make dem no jolly too much with junk food, as dis one dey contribute to both malnutrition and obesity for our pikin. Dr. Mohammed dey plead make we accept routine immunisation and better nutrition practice, so we fit help save our pikin.
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