The Gombe state fight against malnutrition appears to be yielding result as 17 months-old Ahmadu Muhammad who is among the 536,747 under-five children suffering from severe acute malnutrition in Gombe state has now improved from 5.1kg to 12kg after one month of taking Ready to Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF), provided by the state government through UNICEF.
Nutrition focal person of Gombe local government council, Muhammad Bawa disclosed this while speaking with our correspondent in an interview in Gombe Tuesday.
He said Ahmadu was brought in by his mother, Fatima Muhammad, to Community Management Acute Malnutrition (CMAM), Gombe LGA from Kurba village in Yamaltu-Deba LGA of the state, weighing only 5.1 kg.
“After a month, Ahmadu Muhammad, has shown signs of improvement after taking (RUTF). He was 5.1kg (1st week), 5.6 (2nd week), 5.9 (3rd week), 6.7 (4th week), 7.4kg (5th week).
Middle arm circumference 8.9 (1st week), 9.2(2nd week), 10.9 (3rd week) , 11.5 (4th week) , 12kg (5th week) after taking Ready to Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF), provided by the state government.
He said with RUTF, the number of children with malnutrition would be reduced in the state, adding that government has procured 3,210 cartons of RUTF, worth 50 million naira and distributed to the four local government areas of the state.
“The supply of the RUTF was aimed at reviving children that have Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) in the state, which Ahmadu was among the beneficiaries, he said.
Speaking also, the state Nutrition Officer, Mrs Ronas Amusa, said that report reaching them indicate that the situation has improved , adding that it will last for 3 to 4 months.
Amusa however, revealed that there is a space for supply from the Federal Government if Gombe state government indicates interest.
