Stakeholders Advocate Adoption of Nutrition Funds, EBF in Adamawa

Key Stakeholders in Adamawa State have advocated for an adoption of Child Nutrition Funds as well as extending paid maternity leave to 6 months for civil servants. 

Equally, the stakeholders have advocated exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months as a key practice in improving infant health, reducing malnutrition, and strengthening community health systems. 

The stakeholders stated this during a one-day breakfast meeting hosted by the Adamawa State Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning in collaboration with Civil Society – Scaling Up Nutrition in Nigeria (CS-SUNN) and UNICEF.

The event which was held in Yola, Adamawa State, was organised to create awareness, foster political will, and advocate for adoption of Child Nutrition Funds.

It attracted a diverse groups of participants including the Chairman of the State Committee on Food and Nutrition, Permanent Secretary Ministries of Budget and Economic Planning, representatives of the Ministry of Education, Health, Livestock and Aquaculture Development and Agriculture.

Others include Ministries of Reconstruction, Rehabilitation, Reintegration and Humanitarian Services, Water Resources, Adamawa State Emergency Management Agency, Ministry of Women Affairs, PHCDA, representatives of the civil society organizations, nutrition partners, healthcare professionals, media representatives, and other key stakeholders.

The Stakeholders in a communique issued at the end of the meeting pledged to work closely with the State Government through the office of the Head of Service and House of Assembly to ensure smooth implementation of the extended maternity leave policy.

The communique was signed by Voro Reuben Origin, PPO MoB&EP, Koungu Nahunnyisu, PPO ASPC, Victoria Sylvanus, DA - MRRR/HS, Aisha Bashir Ribadu,PEO – MOE&HDC and Cynthia Laori, M&E - MWR.

According to them, SCFN is to facilitate and ensure prompt releases and effective utilization of adequate funds for nutrition activities in the State.

It recommended that the private sector to be carried along in the implementation of six-month paid maternity leave and encourage all relevant MDAs to capture nutritional activities in their annual budget.

It further urged government to make provision for adequate monitoring and evaluation of nutrition activities in the state, including the six months paid maternity leave.

"The state government to key into the window of opportunity for the CNF matching fund with UNICEF for the implementation of the 300M committed to the course". The communique 

It advised the state government to create/reactivate supportive environment for breast feeding at workplaces including creches, breastfeeding room, etc.

Earlier in his opening remarks at the event, the Permanent Secretary Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, Makalan Akila, appreciated the stakeholders to or attending the event.

The Permanent Secretary described the event as timely and urged the participants to make use of the knowledge acquired for the benefit of the society.

Also speaking, the State Coordinator CS-SUNN, Ngozika Ibhadode, said that there are lot of related issues on thr subject matter in the society that need to be addressed.

Ngozika said that the meeting was organised to deliberate on those issues and translate it to action to ensure that children are not malnurished, promote health and wellbeing of children as well as their nutrition in Adamawa State.

She disclosed that they carried out such programmes in Niger, Zanfara, Sokoto and host of other states, and that they are receiving good commitment, assuring that they are following up considering the green light that the states are yielding favourable result.

According to her, all the participants need to make commitment to enable them achieve the purpose of the meeting, urging them to translate the knowledge acquired into action to make impact in the lives of children.

In his presentation on brief Exclusive Breastfeeding (EBF), the Programme Officer CS-SUNN, Isaac Dare Oguntade, explained that exclusive breastfeeding is a situation where infant receives breast milk only for the 6 months without water or any other liguid.

Isaac stressed the need for EBF to protect child against killer disease as all nutrients are contained in the milk, ensure bonding between mother and child, adding that EBF has both health and economic benefits for infants.

He also advocated for 6 months maternity leave being granted to mothers before and after birth of a child, calling on policy makers as well as employers to support maternity leave.

He appealed to policy makers in the state, provate sector employers and labour unions to support EBF and maternity leave, explaining that EBF and maternity leave are intertwined in promoting the health and wellbeing of both mothers and infants.

Isaac Dare Oguntade called on the participants to work together so as to create a supportive environment for mothers to uphold optimal breastfeeding practices.

Also in his presentation, the Programme Officer CS-SUNN, Ambrose Evhoesor, stressed the need to secure commitment for the establishment of a child nutrition fund in the state.