By Correspondent in Lokoja.
Kogi State Government has approved the establishment of three Integrated Management of Acute Malnutrition (IMAM) Stabilization Centres as part of a multi-faceted strategy to combat child malnutrition across the state.
Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo, who made the announcement during the official flag-off of the Training of Trainers on IMAM in Lokoja, said the centres will handle severe cases of malnutrition, with additional support from newly trained frontline health workers.
The initiative, according to him,also includes a statewide community outreach programme aimed at identifying and treating malnourished children in all 21 local government areas.
The Governor directed the Kogi State Health Insurance Agency to cover the full cost of treating children with co-morbidities at referral centres.
Governor Ododo, represented by his Chief of Staff, Alhaji Ali Bello, called on local government authorities, traditional rulers, faith-based institutions, and community organizations to mobilize families,especially those with children aged six to 59 months,to access the government’s nutrition and healthcare services.
He noted that other key interventions include the establishment of dedicated nutrition departments in all relevant ministries, sustained budgetary allocations for nutrition programmes, and the training of over 10,000 women in homestead gardening.
These women, he added, will be supported with improved seedlings and basic farming tools to enhance household food security.
Ododo emphasized that the training of 10,000 health workers across the state forms a critical part of the government’s strategy to fight acute malnutrition.
The health workers include frontline personnel, community volunteers, and storekeepers, who will be equipped with knowledge and tools to detect, treat, and prevent malnutrition.
He also highlighted that the first 1,000 days of a child’s life,from conception to the age of two,are essential for long-term health and brain development. According to him, timely nutritional support within this period can be life-saving.
“To fulfill our promise of improving child health, this administration has invested significantly in nutrition, including the purchase of therapeutic foods worth hundreds of millions of naira. These will be distributed to all referral centers across the state,” the Governor said.
Earlier, the Chief Medical Director of the Kogi State Hospital Management Board, Dr. Ayo Olayemi, described the six-day IMAM training as a vital step toward reversing poor nutrition indicators.
He noted that despite past efforts, malnutrition remains a persistent challenge and stressed the need for a paradigm shift in approach.
Dr. Olayemi praised the leadership of the State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Adams Abdulazeez, in championing reforms that promise better nutritional outcomes for children in Kogi State according to the Government House Team which sent the report to The Reporters on Monday.
Edited by Dada Ahmed.
