The UNICEF, with funding support from the United States, has launched a nutrition intervention programme in Oyo State, selecting 20 local government areas to benefit from efforts aimed at tackling malnutrition in early childhood.
The initiative, unveiled during a stakeholders’ meeting in Ibadan, focuses on the first 1,000 days of life, a critical window for child development. According to UNICEF’s Nutrition Manager in Nigeria, Sumit Karn, the programme will run for one year and prioritise pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers, and children under the age of two.
Speaking at the event, the state Commissioner for Health, Oluwaserimi Ajetumobi, acknowledged ongoing progress in addressing malnutrition and urged local government representatives to ensure effective grassroots implementation.
She revealed that, in partnership with UNICEF, the state has procured nutritional supplements that will be distributed free to mothers in the selected communities.
Chairman of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) in the state, Sikiru Sanda, pledged transparency in the distribution process, assuring that the supplements would reach intended beneficiaries.
Also lending his voice, the Executive Secretary of the Oyo State Primary Health Care Board, Muyideen Olatunji, described the intervention as a reward for the state’s previous performance in healthcare delivery, adding that it would further strengthen outcomes in maternal and child health.
The programme which continues on Thursday, May 7 is expected to deepen ongoing public health efforts and improve nutrition indicators across participating communities in Oyo State.
