Kaduna State Commissioner of Health and Human Services, Professor Andrew Jonathan Nok has disclosed that over 57 percent of children in Kaduna are malnurished.

He equally declared that 41.7 per cent of them were severely stunted.

‎The commissioner gave the revelation at a one-day retreat on Malnutrition with the theme: “Malnutrition, the Major Cause of Under 5-Morbdity and Mortality in Kaduna State, a call for Action.”

The retreat was organised by Kaduna State ministries of Local Government, Health and Human Services in collaboration with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), for Nutrition policy Makers in the state.

According to him, “Recent survey has shown that 57 per cent of children are malnurished and 41.7 per cent of them are severely stunted in Kaduna State.

“Micronutrients deficiency, such as vitamin A and iodine is also common among these women (27.8%) due to poor intake. The malnutrition has also affected women significantly as 6.2 per cent of our women in Kaduna State are malnurished and 23.4 per cent has deficiency in iron.”

Professor Nok, who was represented at the retreat by Dr. Ado Zakari, Director Public Health of the state Ministry of Health, added that “Malnutrition among children constitute 50 per cent of the underlying causes of many communicable and non communicable life-threatening diseases.”

He noted that malnutrition was one of the major causes of morbidity and mortality in the northern part of the country, saying, “Nutrition issues are multifactoral in nature and therefore require multi-sectoral approach in tackling the problems associated with it.”

‎In his remarks, the commissioner for Local Government, who was also represented by the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Alhaji Ibrahim Sambo, said the theme of the retreat was timely for policy makers and health managers in the state.

‎He commended UNICEF for its contributions and support in the prevention and eradication of malnutrition in the state, adding that “I want to assure you that the ministry will live up to its responsibilities in supporting all the LGAs to implement health and other social welfare services meant to better the lives of our people.”

On her part, Dr. Florence Oni, UNICEF Kaduna Field Office Nutrition Specialist, ‎emphasised that the idea for the retreat was to foster synergy among policy makers and nutrition stakeholders in the reduction and possible eradication of malnutrition in the state and country at large.