Hussaini Ibrahim 
Governor Dikko Radda
KATSINA, Nigeria – Katsina State Governor Dikko Umaru Radda has committed ₦1.7 billion to nutrition interventions and announced the upgrade of 268 primary healthcare centres as part of efforts to combat malnutrition and strengthen healthcare services.
Radda made the announcement on Wednesday while opening a workshop organised by the Nutrition Society of Nigeria in Katsina.
“Addressing malnutrition is not only a moral imperative but also a strategic investment in the future prosperity of our dear state,” he said.
According to Radda, the state has invested ₦26.7 billion to revitalise 268 primary healthcare centres through renovations, provision of motorcycle ambulances, medical equipment and improvements in water and sanitation.
The government also plans to revitalise healthcare facilities in all 361 wards across the state.
Radda disclosed that ₦1.7 billion had been allocated to the State Nutrition Programme and the State Committee on Nutrition.
“We have also established additional Outpatient Therapeutic Programme centres and nine stabilisation centres to support children suffering from severe acute malnutrition,” he said.
The governor further revealed that the state released ₦700 million in counterpart funding under the ARIN Project 2.0 to improve child survival and nutrition outcomes.
On food security, he said more than 90,000 bags of food had been distributed to vulnerable households, while fertilisers, improved seedlings and over 400 tractors were supplied to farmers.
The administration has also recruited nearly 800 healthcare workers, including doctors, nurses, pharmacists and laboratory scientists.
Seven healthcare centres have been upgraded to general hospitals, while ₦950 million has been approved to pay allowances to Katsina medical students studying in Nigeria and abroad.
“Money is not everything; serving your people is a major responsibility,” he said
“We must promote exclusive breastfeeding, improve maternal nutrition, strengthen nutrition education, and utilise locally available food resources to achieve balanced diets.”
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Oluwafunbi Bello 
Mirian Gom 
Korede Abdullah