INGOs, Journalists Strengthen Ties to Tackle Child Malnutrition in Katsina
Francis Sardauna in Katsina
The International Non-governmental Organisations (INGOs) and media professionals have renewed their commitment to collaborative action aimed at addressing the growing challenge of child malnutrition in Katsina State.
The renewed partnership was the outcome of a three-day capacity-building workshop organised by the Nigeria INGO Forum (NIF), which brought together journalists from across the state alongside representatives of humanitarian organisations working in nutrition and food security.
The workshop, themed “Strengthening Media Action for Nutrition in Crisis Contexts,” focused on equipping journalists with the skills to report accurately, responsibly, and impactfully on nutrition-related issues, particularly in vulnerable and conflict-affected communities.
Speaking at the event, the NIF Media and Communication Adviser, Ademilola Adesanya, emphasized the critical role of the media in shaping public understanding and influencing policy responses to malnutrition.
She noted that while humanitarian organisations continue to implement interventions to curb malnutrition, the media remains a vital partner in amplifying the voices of affected communities and holding government and stakeholders accountable.
She reiterated the need for increased government investment in nutrition programmes, particularly in maternal and child health, to eliminate the long-term impacts of malnutrition bedeviling children in the state.
She called for sustained collaboration with journalists, including regular information sharing, field visits, and access to credible data to enhance accurate and balanced reportage of the nutrition crisis in order to nip it in the bud.
Adesanya underscored the importance of avoiding sensationalism while reporting sensitive humanitarian issues, ensuring ethical storytelling and the use of evidence in highlighting malnutrition trends.
The NIF media and communication adviser further explained that media practitioners must go beyond event coverage to investigate underlying causes and highlight community-based solutions to child malnutrition.
A resource person at the workshop, Abdulkareem Hassan Idrees of Médecins Sans Frontieres (MSF), said the non-profit organisation has provided care to 146,00 patients in OPTs and 26,000 in stabilization centres in 2025 across Katsina.
He added that the peak of malnutrition prevalence usually occurs during the lean season between May and September, but INGOs, government and local authorities were working assiduously to tame the scourge.
Presenting an overview of the nutrition crisis in Nigeria, Ibrahim Kari, said Katsina, like many other states in the northern region of the country, continues to grapple with child malnutrition driven by insecurity, poverty and poor infant feeding practices.
He stated that the estimated burden of Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) across Katsina, Sokoto, Kebbi, Zamfara and Jigawa states between October 2025 and September 2026 stands at 1,070,243 cases, while Moderate Acute Malnutrition (MAM) is projected to reach 2,411,990 cases within the period under review.
Another resource person, Phateemah Shaihu, stressed that accurate media reporting is crucial in mobilising government response and community action in preventing or tackling malnutrition cases.
For Dr. Hamisu Rimaye, malnutrition is not just a health issue, but a development crisis that affects education, productivity and long-term economic growth, underscoring the need for the media to report data-driven stories that can influence policy and behavioural change.
However, during the three-day capacity-building training, journalists were engaged in practical sessions, including story development, field visits, reporting techniques and the use of data in crafting impactful narratives.
They pledged to apply the knowledge gained to produce in-depth and solution-oriented reports that will draw attention to nutrition challenges and encourage timely interventions by government and development partners.
