About 5,713,180 citizens across 11 local government areas of Kaduna State have benefited from the basic package of nutrition services and adolescent health services provided by the Accelerating Nutrition Results in Nigeria (ANRiN) project.
The Project Director of the Society for Family Health’s (SFH) ANRiN project in Kaduna state, Malam Mohammed-Murtala Ibrahim, disclosed this on Thursday during a visit to the Emir of Zazzau in Zaria.
He explained that the visit was to update Emir of Zazzau Malam Ahmed Bamalli who is also the Nutrition Ambassador on the achievements of the project in the state.
Ibrahim noted that the support of the emir had greatly influenced community acceptance of the project and the overall success recorded, adding that the project craves for his additional support for the sustainability of the project.
He said SFH was the Non-State Actor implementing ANRiN in Kaduna State with the mandate to increase access to and utilization of an integrated community-based basic package of Nutrition services and Adolescent Health Services.
The Project Director added that the project’s target groups were children under five years of age, pregnant and lactating women, and adolescent girls.
Ibrahim noted that the support of the emir had greatly influenced community acceptance of the project and contributed to the overall success recorded, saying that the project seeks the emir’s continued support for its sustainability.
“The project has delivered micronutrient powders to over five million beneficiaries for children aged six to 23 months, zinc and ORS for children, deworming and vitamin A supplementation, and long-acting reversible contraceptives, among other services.’ he emphasised.
The project Director said the ANRIN Project was implemented in the state while integrating the government’s facilities and these facilities remained in the state.
Ibrahim said SFH constituted 493-member field team who implemented the project which includes 33 supervisors, 33 facility-based service providers, 27 adolescent mentors, 200 Interpersonal communication agents and 200 community volunteers.
He therefore, urged the state government and other key stakeholders to leverage on the developed structure towards ensuring that robust health programmes to women and children continues.
Ibrahim also appealed to mothers and heads of households in local communities around the state to encourage eating nutritional food.
The Director said the heads of households especially farmers not to sale their farm produce and advised them (the heads of the households) to reserve soya beans, beans, vegetables and other body building foods for children.
In his remark, the Emir of Zazzau Malam Ahmed Bamalli, pledged to support ANRIN towards the extension and sustenance of the programme.
The emir appeal to the government and other key stakeholders to imbibe additional measures towards enhancing access to quality and affordable healthcare services in the state.
COV/ Ibrahim Suleiman
