Plateau State Government has  taken possession of about 5,392 cartons of Small quantity lipid-based Nutrition Supplement (SQ-LNS) to drive complementary children feeding in the state.

Recalled, Plateau government in 2024 committed the sum of 200, 000 US dollars under child nutrition fund (CNF), which was matched by the United Nation Children Fund (UNICEF) and secured SQ-LNS commodities to complement feeding and address malnutrition among children between the ages of 6 to 23 months.

Daily champion reports that the 5,392 cartons of SQ-LNS is now ready for distribution across various primary healthcare in the 17 local government areas of the state.

Governor Caleb Mutfwang while receiving the SQ-LNS commodities on Monday at the Government House Little Rayfield, Jos, said the state government committed to combating malnutrition among vulnerable populations in the state. 

Governor Mutfwang, represented by the deputy NGO Josephine Piyo  acknowledge the laudable initiative of UNICEF in the Child Nutrition Match Fund mechanism that allowed the state to avert irreversible damage to the cognitive, intellectual, and physical development of the children. 
She stated that Plateau State is pleased to be part of this child-lens investment in preventing malnutrition in children, "we understand that the key to good health and mental development is appropriate complementary feeding, rich in the correct micronutrients following exclusive nursing during the first six months of life. 

 "Today, we witness yet another groundbreaking moment of the Time Is Now administration that matches words with actions by improving the well-being of the people and building on its successes in the nutrition subsector.

"This initiative aims to prevent malnutrition among children aged 6-23 months and will support dietary supplementation for 80,000 children across the state for 5 months. 

"We are reminding ourselves that the choices we make today directly shape the future of our children, families, and communities as daily consumption of the SQ-LNS amounts to taking a strong stand against malnutrition, chronic diseases, and preventable illnesses," deputy governor added.

Country Representative, UNICEF Nigeria, Wafaa Saeed, confirmed that Plateau State government in 2024, committed 200,000 US dollars. "This is really a significant amount of resources. UNICEF, as an agency also focused on children, we have set up a mechanism called the Child Nutrition Fund, which allows states and governments to double their commitment. 
"So whatever commitment is made by the state is matched by the fund. And this has really resulted in a lot of progress. I think the next member, the director of the board of directors of the California Institute of Health, came forward to say that this is the most effective way because we can put children on the same footpath, in this country's health care system. And the government has succeeded in making this relationship, this very prestigious initiative.

"We have started a series of campuses over the last 10 years, and now we're leading our own community-based initiative, and we're having conversations, where we have all the tools we need, we have the resources to do this. We're doing all the things we can. breastfeeding for the first six months, starting breastfeeding in the first hour, and also I think as we were driving by the car, my colleagues were telling me how Plateau State is a place where a lot of food is grown.

"So we are also looking at solutions where how the local manufacturing can produce food that is nutritious, that is available, and that is affordable. And since Plateau State also has this ability and blessing to produce more, it means it can also support other states and even support other parts. So this is really fantastic," UNICEF representative mentioned.

However, Deputy chairman of the Association of Local Government of Nigeria, Hon. Patrick Silas Dung who doubled as chairman of Jos South LGA, His Royal Majesty, Ujah Anaguta, Pozoh Johnson Jauru Magaji II and chairman Jos North traditional council, promised to continue strengthening advocacy at the grassroot level to tackle issues of infant nutrition in the state.