A four-quarter review meeting for the Zamfara State Committee on Food and Nutrition ended yesterday in Kano State.
The meeting was organized to review and update the drafted copy of the State Multi-Sectoral Plan for Action on nutrition activities.
The State Ministry of Budget and Planning, Primary Health Care Board and Unicef in Kano state organized the symposium.
While addressing the symposium, the Nutrition Champion and Vice-Chancellor Usmanu Danfodiyo University Sokoto Professor Lawal Suleman Bilbis proposed the idea of including nutrition education in primary and secondary schools in the State.
He also mentioned that the lack of knowledge on nutrition has resulted in the under-utilization of farm produce and fruits being cultivated in the State.
Apart from this, The Vice Chancellor also said that as an academic with vast knowledge in the field of sciences and nutrition in particular, he would use all avenues at his disposal to ensure the domestication of the policy on nutrition in the State.
The Chairman of the State Committee on Food and Nutrition and Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Budget and Planning, Alhaji Garba Altine Dauran, said the present administration of Governor Dauda Lawal is determined to cushion the plight of children and women who are directly affected by malnutrition and other dietary imbalances.
He further gave an assurance that the government is aware of the needed concerns and will allocate a budget for nutrition and is focused on reaching out to MDAs, agencies such as CSDA, and implementing partners to secure more support and interventions on nutrition activities.
Furthermore, the Executive Secretary of the State Primary Health Care Board, Dr Hussaini Yakubu Anka, represented by the Director of Nutrition Services, Mallam Sama’ila Bakwai Umar, said the Board is committed to rendering supervisory and technical roles to accomplish the State goals on nutrition.
Dr Hussaini Anka added that time for the mids-utilization of nutrition commodities has gone and called on all stakeholders to be ready to work according to policies.
Hussaini further thanked the development partners, particularly UNICEF and all stakeholders from various MDAs, for supporting the Board not only on nutrition but also on other sectors of development, assuring them of continued partnership.
Moreover, the nutrition specialist at the Sokoto Field Office, Mr Abraham Mahama, said UNICEF had been supportive of nutrition in the State, hence the need for all stakeholders to multiply efforts in achieving zero cases of malnutrition. He assured sustained financial, technical and moral support to the State.
The meeting was attended by the Chairman of the House Committee on Information and Health, Permanent Secretaries of ministries of finance, education, science and technology, partners and representatives of MDAs supporting nutrition.
