Katsina LG Chairmen to Fight Malnutrition with N34m Yearly

Francis Sardauna in Katsina

Chairmen of the 34 Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Katsina State have agreed to contribute N34 million every year to tackle severe acute malnutrition bedevilling children and breastfeeding mothers in the state.

The Executive Secretary of the State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Dr. Shamsudeen Yahaya, disclosed this yesterday  while briefing journalists on efforts made by the state government to curb malnutrition.

Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has reported that 652 Katsina children died in its facilities between January and June, 2025 due to lack of “timely access to care.”

The MSF, in its recent report, added that the number of malnourished children with nutritional oedema, the most severe and deadly form of malnutrition, increased in the state by 208 per cent within the period under review.

But Yahaya, during the media parley, said the local government chairmen have signed an agreement with his agency to contribute N1 million each yearly, amounting to N34 million to fight the malnutrition crisis in the state.

He said: “We had a meeting early this year with all the 34 local government chairmen. We draw their attention to the need to come together to address the issue of malnutrition.

“They signed an agreement with us that every year, each LGA will be earmarking one million, totalling 34 million to address the issue of malnutrition in the state.”

He, however, said the state government and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) have injected N600 million last year as matching fund to address malnutrition.

The executive secretary further said the government has perfected plans to inaugurate a committee to come out with strategies to curb malnutrition in the state.