WorldStage Newsonline— About 3,500 children have received treatment against malnutrition in Sandamu Local Government Area of Katsina State.
Hajiya Sakina Zango, the council’s Director of Health, disclosed this in an interview in Sandamu on Wednesday.
She said that the children were being fed with malnutrition formula called Ready to Use Therapeutic Food (R. U. T. F) and drugs that were relevant in the treatment of the malnutrition.
Zango said that her department had been organising weekly health talks, to sensitise mothers on preventive and curative measures against child malnutrition.
She said that the malnutrition formula was supplied regularly to the patients who were booked for follow-up consultation.
She said that a condition for follow-up was for the patient’s relative to present the empty sachet of the used formula before issuing additional supply.
She said that the patients patronising the treatment centre were drawn from Sandamu, Daura, Baure, Maiadua and Zango Local Government Areas of the state.
She added that patients from the neighbouring local government areas of Dutsi Mashi and Guiwa, Yankwashi in Jigawa State also patronise the centre.
Zango attributed the rampant cases of malnutrition to improper nutrition, poor hygiene and ignorance.
He advised mothers to also intensify efforts on constant breast feeding of their babies to avoid malnutrition.
She described breast milk as the best preventive measure against malnutrition and other sundry child diseases.
According to her, breast milk boosts the immune system of the children and prevent them from being malnourished.
In a related development, the director noted that the council had immunised 49,742 children against polio in the just concluded polio exercise in the area.
She said that the council received delivery of 52,600 vaccines out of which 52,440 were used and 160 vaccines were returned to the medical store.
UK-based maternal child born healthcare agency, MNCH2, had recently supplied 123 packages of assorted drugs to the council.(NAN)
Malnutrition: 3,500 children receive treatment in Katsina
