The Federal Government and 20 states of the federation have so far contributed N7.1 billion as counterpart funds to the Child Nutrition Fund (CNF) meant for the procurement and distribution of life-saving commodities, and expanded treatment coverage for severe acute malnourished children in parts of the country.

However, 16 states have failed to fulfil their own counterpart fund obligation to support the life-saving nutrition intervention programme being funded with assistance from UNICEF.

Executive Secretary of Civil Society-Scaling Up Nutrition in Nigeria (CS-SUNN), Sunday Okonkwo, gave the update on Monday in Abuja while speaking on the implementation of Child Nutrition Fund (CNF) by CS-SUNN at a hybrid media roundtable on, “Child Nutrition Fund (CNF) – A Strategic Pathway for Preventing Anaemia and Scaling Access to Life-Saving Nutrition Commodities in Nigeria.”

Globally, World Health Organisation (WHO) reports that anaemia affects 37 per cent of pregnant women and 30 per cent of women aged 15-49 years, with Nigeria bearing a disproportionately high share of the burden.

According to the Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) 2023, 67 per cent of children aged 6–59 months and 57 per cent of women aged 15–49 years are anaemic.

The condition significantly contributes to increased risks of maternal mortality, low birth weight, impaired cognitive development in children, and reduced economic productivity.

Nigeria’s maternal mortality ratio stands at a staggering 1,047 deaths per 100,000 live births, with widespread deficiencies in iron, folate, zinc, and Vitamin A among pregnant women perpetuating a vicious intergenerational cycle.

In a bid to address the health challenge, CNF, a catalytic 1:1 co-financing mechanism facilitated by UNICEF, in partnership with donor partners, was established in 2020 as a strategic and innovative pathway to address malnutrition.

Okonkwo said many states were yet to key into the initiative while those who had announced their participation were yet to release funds.

He commended the federal government and the pioneering states for demonstrating visionary leadership by approving and releasing counterpart funds to CNF.

The executive secretary said between 2023 and 2026, the federal government and 20 states released N7.1 billion, while the federal government committed N1.2 billion.

He stated, “These investments have facilitated the procurement and distribution of life-saving commodities, expanded treatment coverage for severe acute malnutrition, and improved availability of MMS across health facilities in adopting states.

“While progress made so far is encouraging, adoption remains uneven. Many states are yet to approve the CNF, while others face challenges of timely release and full utilisation of approved funds for the procurement of nutrition commodities.

“These gaps limit the fund’s potential to transform nutrition outcomes nationwide. CS-SUNN calls on state governments that are yet to approve the CNF to join this important national initiative so that no part of the country is left behind in the fight against malnutrition.”

Okonkwo urged states that had approved the fund to expedite action on the release of funds and ensure efficient utilisation, with a specific focus on scaling up MMS for the prevention of anaemia among pregnant women.

He called for strengthening and integration of MMS into routine antenatal care protocols across all health facilities, adequate training of healthcare providers for effective counselling and delivery of MMS.

In addition, Okonkwo called for the establishment of robust logistics and monitoring mechanism to prevent stock-outs and ensure equitable access in both rural and urban areas, increased domestic resource mobilisation, and full leveraging of the 1:1 matching opportunity offered by CNF.

This hybrid media roundtable provided a unique platform for state representatives to deepen understanding of CNF as a catalytic mechanism, spur policy prioritisation, and contribute to the achievement of the 2026–2035 National Policy on Food and Nutrition as well as the nutrition targets of the Sustainable Development Goals.

The organisers urged the media to amplify the urgent national agenda, saying the media remains a powerful force for sensitisation, agenda-setting, and accountability. (THISDAY)

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