KANO, Nigeria – Amid mounting concern over rising child malnutrition in Katsina State, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the state government have launched an emergency, data-driven action plan to halt the deadly trend.
According to Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), between January and June 2025, at least 652 children died, while more than 10,000 were hospitalised with severe malnutrition.
The plan was unveiled on Thursday during the 2025 Nutrition Smart Survey meeting in Katsina. UNICEF’s Nutrition Specialist, Oluniyi Oyedokun, said: “UNICEF is supporting the government; it is funding the smart survey. The purpose is to sensitise stakeholders on their roles in effectively addressing malnutrition in Katsina State.”
Executive Director, Katsina State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Dr. Shamsuddeen Yahaya, said the survey would provide fresh insights into the prevalence and spread of malnutrition across the state’s 34 local government areas, recalling that last year’s findings led to the creation of 25 Outpatient Therapeutic Points (OTPs) in five high-burden LGAs to deliver food supplements and treatment to affected children.
Katsina ANRiN Coordinator, Dr. Umar Bello, said ANRiN 1.0 reached three million beneficiaries with micronutrients and counselling, while ANRiN 2.0 would tackle food insecurity through partnerships with the ministries of Agriculture, Budget and Planning, and Women Affairs.
Stakeholders pledged sustained interventions prioritising vulnerable children, pregnant women, and nursing mothers.
