As part of a broad initiative to combat acute malnutrition among children and vulnerable members of the population, Kogi State government has unveiled the training of 10,000 health workers across the state.
Speaking during the launch of the Integrated Management of Acute Malnutrition on Monday, the state Governor, Ahmed Ododo, who was represented by his Chief of Staff, Ali Bello, reiterated his administration’s commitment to improving maternal and child health outcomes through sustainable nutritional interventions.
He said the training forms part of a strategic effort to equip frontline health workers, community volunteers, storekeepers and other relevant personnel with the knowledge and tools needed to identify, treat, and prevent malnutrition in all parts of the state.
Ododo explained that the first 100 days of a child’s life from conception to the age of two are critical in determining long-term health and cognitive development, stressing that timely nutritional support during this period can be life-saving.
The governor further announced that three IMAM Stabilisation Centres have been approved to handle severe cases in addition to the rollout of community-level outreach to identify and treat malnourished children across all local government areas in the state.
He also directed the Kogi State Health Insurance Agency to absorb the cost of treating children with co-morbidities who appear in referral centres.
Governor Ododo called on local government authorities, traditional rulers, religious institutions, and community-based organisations to actively support and mobilise their communities especially in targeting children aged six to 59 months, to access nutrition and healthcare services provided by the state government.
Earlier, Chief Medical Director of the Kogi State Hospital Management Board, Dr. Ayo Olayemi, described the six-day training on Integrated Management of Acute Malnutrition as a crucial step towards reversing poor nutrition indices.