UNICEF Donates 11,580 Cartons of Therapeutic Food to Gombe to Fight Malnutrition

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has handed over 11,580 cartons of Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) to the Gombe State Government to strengthen efforts to treat children suffering from severe acute malnutrition.

The donation was presented on Monday by the UNICEF Bauchi Field Office Chief, Dr Nuzhat Rafique, who commended the state government for providing ₦500 million in counterpart funding for nutrition interventions in 2025.

Rafique explained that the state’s contribution was matched with an equal amount through the Child Nutrition Fund, enabling the procurement of essential nutritional supplies for vulnerable children.

She said the consignment contained millions of sachets of RUTF, a specialised food formulated for the treatment of children with severe acute malnutrition.

The UNICEF official stressed that the supplies must be distributed appropriately and monitored to ensure they reach the intended beneficiaries. She warned that the therapeutic food was designed specifically for children undergoing treatment and should not be used as regular food.

Rafique also urged community-based organisations, including Mama2Mama and Fathers for Good Health, to intensify public awareness about the proper use of the product.

She called on parents and caregivers to follow health workers’ instructions and ensure that children completed their prescribed treatment without interruption, noting that adherence to treatment protocols was essential for successful recovery.

The UNICEF representative commended the state government for establishing a committee to prevent the diversion, abuse and misuse of donated supplies, while emphasising the need for effective accountability mechanisms.

The Gombe State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Professor Bertha Abdu, expressed appreciation to UNICEF for its continued support, particularly in programmes aimed at improving the welfare of women and children.

Abdu said adequate nutrition was fundamental to children’s growth and development, warning that deficiencies during childhood could have serious health and developmental consequences.

Meanwhile, the Commissioner for Science, Technology and Innovation, Habu Dahiru, said the state was complementing UNICEF’s intervention through local production of nutrient-rich food.

Dahiru disclosed that the ministry had expanded production of locally developed nutritious food and was collaborating with the North-East Development Commission to enlarge its production facility to serve Gombe and neighbouring states.

He said the state was prepared to work with UNICEF and other development partners to increase production, particularly to support interventions against moderate malnutrition.

The commissioner assured that the government would monitor the distribution of the donated therapeutic food to ensure that children requiring treatment received the supplies.

Also speaking, the Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Micah Sunday, described UNICEF as an important development partner in the state’s efforts to improve child welfare.

Sunday said adequate nutrition was essential not only for physical growth but also for brain development, educational performance and the overall wellbeing of children.

The donation is expected to strengthen access to life-saving nutritional treatment and support Gombe State’s efforts to reduce severe acute malnutrition among vulnerable children.