In a major step to combat child malnutrition, the United Nations Children’s Fund, UNICEF and the Kwara State Government have delivered 3,964 cartons of Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) to support the treatment of severe acute malnutrition across the state.
This life-saving initiative, funded through the Child Nutrition Fund (CNF), demonstrates the strong commitment of both partners to improving child health and addressing malnutrition at scale.
Supported by donor funding, UNICEF established the Child Nutrition Fund to accelerate nutrition interventions across Nigeria.
The CNF operates on a 1:1 matching model, doubling state investments in nutrition. Under this framework, the Kwara State Government contributed USD 100,000, which UNICEF matched, resulting in the procurement of RUTF supplies.
According to UNICEF, the deployment is being carried out in two phases: 1,982 cartons in the first batch and another 1,982 in the second batch.
The RUTF will be distributed to health facilities throughout Kwara State, targeting children under five who are suffering from severe wasting, an acute form of malnutrition where children are too thin for their height.
Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq of Kwara State, while speaking during the handover ceremony in Ilorin on Tuesday, said:
“Our contribution to the Child Nutrition Fund is a reaffirmation of our unwavering commitment to eradicating malnutrition in Kwara State. “Our partnership with UNICEF is a mission to protect the fundamental rights of women and children, and we will continue to prioritise child health and nutrition as a cornerstone of our development agenda.”
Malnutrition remains a significant public health challenge across Nigeria, including Kwara State. This partnership marks a critical milestone in expanding access to life-saving nutrition interventions and ensuring these commodities are readily available at the community level.
Cristian Munduate, the UNICEF Nigeria Country Representative, explained that, “the Kwara State Government’s commitment to addressing child malnutrition is truly commendable.
“Through the Child Nutrition Fund, we can double our impact and reach more children with the essential nutrition they need to survive and thrive. We hope this model inspires other states to prioritize child nutrition as a core development goal.”
Munduate also called on the government to leverage the upcoming Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (MNCH) Week in May/June to expand the delivery of key services, including Vitamin A supplementation, deworming tablets for children, and multiple micronutrient supplements for pregnant women.
She further urged the allocation of additional human resources to strengthen Integrated Management of Acute Malnutrition (IMAM) services across all Local Government Areas in the state.
UNICEF emphasised the need for sustained investment to build on existing gains and broaden the reach of nutrition interventions. However, the burden of malnutrition in Kwara underscores the need for continued funding to meet the urgent nutritional needs of vulnerable children.
To date, 11 Nigerian states—Jigawa, Katsina, Adamawa, Kano, Ebonyi, Borno, Gombe, Kaduna, Kwara, Niger, and Plateau—have contributed to the CNF. UNICEF continues to engage remaining states to formalize commitments and encourage sustained investment, ensuring more funding for nutrition and more nutrition for available funds.
