Bauchi State’s agency to build more nutrition centres across 20 LGAs
NAN-H-65
Nutrition
Bauchi, Jan.20,2017 (NAN) The Bauchi State Primary Health Care Development Agency, has said that it would build more centres for the Management of Acute Malnutrition (CMAM) programme to cover the whole 20 Local Government Areas in the state.
The Chairman of the Agency, Mr Admau Gamawa told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Bauchi on Friday, that the programme has so far covered only three LGAs
According to him, this is to create more awareness about the menace of malnutrition in the state.
Gamawa stated that as soon as the state receives funding for the programme, implementation and expansion will begin.
“Already we have mapped out plans to expand the programme as we receive the funding for the “Save 1 million Lives programme”, we will concentrate on implementation.
“The programme is a community based, activity currently being conducted in only 3 LGAs of Katagum, Dambam and Kirfi, we hope to extend it to other local government areas as soon as funds are available.
“The scale up will commence by the 1st quarter of 2017 and will cover the remaining 17 LGAs,” he said.
Gamawa reiterates the commitment of the agency to improving primary health care in the state, adding that health educators will be extensively used to train communities on using nutritional home grown grains.
He said that the Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF) programme has trained numerous volunteers and have embarked on house- to- house awareness campaigns in various rural communities.
He said that the programme is aimed at improving the nutritional status and health of children especially the under- aged children and consequently reduce infant mortality.
“ Key messages of IYCF are early initiation of breastfeeding, exclusive breastfeeding, complementary feeding with continuous breastfeeding.
“Others are proper attachment and positioning, water, hygiene and sanitation, ’’ he said.
According to him, a total number of 54,420 expectant mothers, lactating mothers in the communities, were reached by support group members on the IYCF programme.
He explained that a total number of 5,037 women had so far been referred for counseling at the primary health centres since the inception of the programme. (NAN)
AE/AK/JIE
(Edited by Akin Makanjuola/Julius Enehikhuere)