According to MedicalWorldNigeria, UNICEF’s Chief of Field Office in Bauchi, Bhanu Pathak, who disclosed this in Jalingo during a visit to Governor Darius Dickson Ishaku, said the organisation has supported the state government with over N1.3 billion for intervention in the state’s health sector in the last four years.

He said with lack of health facilities for providing treatment, the affected children will risk dying from SAM if the government does not intervene promptly, adding, “There is no time to act than now.”

Pathak noted that Boko Haram, banditry, as well as herders and farmers crisis have pushed communities to dangerous levels of food insecurity has resulted in displacement of mass populations and increased prevalence of acute malnutrition and morality in Taraba State.

He said: “Many children who might have survived malnutrition in early life are condemned to permanent physical and intellectual disabilities in later life, thus, productive future leaders of the state will be adversely affected.”

Meanwhile, disturbed by the increasing cases of malnutrition in Gombe State, the state House of Assembly has assured the people that government would release fund budgeted for Health sector and intervention on malnutrition in the state.

Speaker of the House, Sadiq Abubakar Ibrahim, made this known while speaking during a visit to the House Committees on Health and Appropriation by Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) in partnership with the Ahmed Kawu Heart Foundation, Society and Future Care for Life in Gombe.

As part of our collective effort in fighting the scourge in Gombe, we will give more attention to the Primary Health Care Development Agency, health and education sectors as priority of Governor Muhammad Inuwa Yahaya’s administration.

He also said engagement between the state legislature and civil society organisations (CSOs) in the state would go a long way in facilitating healthy nutrition and budgetary allocations for the state’s health sector and others, especially as it affects children.