Wife of the president, Aisha Buhari, on Tuesday, called for the local production of Ready to use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) which would aid in ending severe acute malnutrition in the country.
This discussion formed the crux of the meeting with manufacturers of drugs and food beverage companies at the presidential villa.
Kemi Balogun reports that Malnutrition is a direct or underlying cause of 45 percent of all deaths of children under the age of 5., with stunting and wasting as the two forms of malnutrition found mostly in states in northern Nigeria.
Ending child malnutrition in Nigeria has always been one of the priorities of Nigeria’s first lady Aisha Buhari since the launch of the get involved
nutrition campaign in 2016, and the meeting at her instance is simply to bring the issue of severe acute malnutrition to the front burner of
interventions.
Mrs Buhari stressed the need for the production of the ready to use therapeutic food locally in Nigeria in a bid to finally end severe acute malnutrition in the country.
Development partners from various international organizations and manufacturers of drugs, food and beverages, as well as wives of state
governors are here to support this call. But only two out of every 10 children affected, is currently reached with treatment.
The manufacture of RUTF locally in Nigeria, will help a great deal in reducing the deaths and helping millions of children to stay nourished.
