By Lizzy Carr
The executive chairman Bauchi State Primary Health Care Development Board Dr Rilwanu Mohammed has stated that the State government has committed one hundred million naira for nutrition activities with five million naira allocated from each of the twenty local government councils. Speaking when he received in audience the Civil Society Scaling Up Nutrition in Nigeria (CS-SUNN) on an advocacy visit said the State is working to improve the malnutrition indices among children under five years of age.
He noted that the recent Nigeria Demographic Health Survey 2023/2024 shows that Bauchi has a high rate of children with malnutrition.
CS-SUNN steering committee co- chair Aji Robinson said the advocacy visit was to push for 6 months paid maternity leave and two weeks paternity leave.
“We want a situation where breastfeeding mothers will have the opportunity to breastfeed exclusively for 6 months to boost the immunity of the baby”.
She added that other areas include the need for government to establish breastfeeding corners in workplaces, timely release and proper utilisation of nutrition funds.
Aji Robinson said the campaign needs multi sectorial approach to address the problems of nutrition and maternal health.
The advocacy according to her is in collaboration with UNICEF.
The CS-SUNN team also visited the ministries of Education, Water Resources, Agriculture, Budget Economic Planning and Multi lateral Coordination, Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs among others.
