Kaduna to recruit nutritionists to tackle malnutrition

Kaduna state government has said that  it will soon recruit 18 nutritionists for its renovated 255 Primary Health Centres (PHCs), particularly in rural areas, to curb cases of malnutrition in the state.

Executive Secretary of the state’s Primary Health Care Development Agency (PHCDA), Dr Hamza Abubakar stated this when a delegation of nutrition partners paid him a visit Monday, in Kaduna.

The nutrition partners are UNICEF, Civil Society Scaling-Up Nutrition in Nigeria (CS-SUNN), SCI, Alive and Thrive (FHI360), and the National Orientation Agency.

These partners have been pushing for improved nutrition funding in the state. Abubakar said the 18 nutritionists would be part of the 3,059 health workers to be recruited by the state government soon.

He said this was aimed at improving access to quality nutritional services in the state, particularly in rural areas.

He stated that the agency will consider allocating adequate funds for nutrition programmes to boost healthcare services in the state.

Earlier, Malam Isah Ibrahim, Nutrition Advocacy Adviser, Save the Children International, said none of the 255 PHCs had a trained nutritionist to provide professional services.

Ibrahim reiterated that the intervention would enable the agency implement specific nutrition programmes, currently being supported by development partners.

“We equally want the state government to ensure that PHC workers are properly trained on the integrated delivery programmes for maximum impact,” he said.

Also, Mr Silas Ideva, State Coordinator, CS-SUNN, stated that malnourished children in the state would continue to die if funding remained low.

Ideva, who was represented by Abdulrahaman Mikail, CS-SUNN’s chairman, sub-committee on finance and fund raising, commended the state government for the increased attention to nutrition issues.

Fake news: Zamfara correspondents chapel suspends member

By Sanusi Muhamma

Correspondent Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in Zamfara, Monday, suspended the reporter of Daily Independent newspaper, Mr Umar Faruk Efinye over alleged fake news.

This is contained in a statement signed by the Secretary, Ibrahim Ahmad and made available to newsmen in Gusau Monday.

The statement stated that the suspension order was ratified by the state council of the NUJ.

The suspension was sequel to a story he allegedly published over an accident involving the convoy of Governor Bello Matawalle.

The report had claimed that the convoy was attacked by bandits in which two policemen died and many others were injured, but the story turned out to be false.

It added that the chapel had received formal complaint from the governor’s Director General, Press Affairs and the police command in Katsina state, where the attack allegedly took place.

“After a careful review of the situation, the report was found to be false and concocted, which abuses the ethics of journalism profession.

“Having secured the approval of NUJ state council, the chapel resolved to suspend the member for three months effective from Tuesday, September 2, 2019.

“The chapel equally warned members to be factual in their reportage in accordance with the rules guiding the profession.”

The chapel stressed the need for journalists to be more watchful in reporting events, as the current leadership of the union has zero tolerance for fake news. (NAN)

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