Bauchi Gov’t to commence distribution of RUTF to Treatment Centres.
By Murtala Ahmad Mustapha.
The Bauchi State Primary Healthcare Board is to commence distribution of Ready to Use Therapeutic Food, RUTF to Treatment Centres across the state towards reducing the scourge of Acute Malnutrition among children in the state.
The State Director Primary Healthcare Dr Sufiyanu Ahmed Jibrin stated this during a Stakeholders Engagement meeting on the new Phase of RUTF distribution in the state held at the Board’s headquarters.
Dr. Sufiyanu Jibrin who said the meeting aims to engage key stakeholders especially traditional leaders and the Media on the need to collaborate and create awareness on the importance of Ready to Use Therapeutic Food to the life of children with severe acute malnutrition.
He expressed dissatisfaction over what he described as poor handling of the therapeutic food by some community members and healthcare workers in the state.
In a remark, the Health Educator of the board Muhammad Ribado noted that malnutrition is one of the leading public health challenges that causes child mortality, stressed the need for collective efforts to address the menace.
Ribado Jibrin explained that RUTF is a therapeutic feeding used in the management of severe acute malnutrition without medical complications.
Speaking on behalf of traditional leaders, the Ward Head of Tirwun Alhaji Muhammad Tirwun who assured of full support towards the successful implementation of the exercise, called for more sensitisation through Radio jingles and programmes with a view to reaching out to people in rural areas.