The Civil Society-Scaling Up Nutrition in Nigeria (CS-SUNN), says it has engaged Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs) and women opinion leaders to promote optimal Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF) practices in Kaduna State.
Its Coordinator in the state, Mr Silas Ideva stated this in Kaduna on Wednesday, at the ongoing three-day training of the TBAs, women opinion leaders, health workers and nutrition focal persons.
According to him, the step is part of strategy to end the scourge of malnutrition in the state.
Ideva said that the 2018 Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS), indicates a stunting malnutrition rate of 48.1 per cent among children under five years in the state; wasting, 4.8 per cent and underweight, 22.1 per cent.
He explained that the focus on TBAs and women opinion leaders was strategic due to their influence as agents of change that would contribute immensely to ending malnutrition in Kaduna state.
He added that health workers and nutrition focal persons from Kaduna North, Kaduna South, Igabi and Chikun Local Government Areas of the state were also being trained.
“These set of people are very strategic in ending the malnutrition situation, especially in the face of overstretched health work force in the state.
“With about 61 children out of 100 being given birth at home, the TBAs will serve as the frontline to facilitate referral of pregnant women to facilities for proper and adequate care.
“Curbing malnutrition is a concern that requires all stakeholders to play their role because no one can do it alone.
“This is why we are engaging TBAs, the women opinion leaders, health workers and nutrition focal persons to play their role in curbing malnutrition in communities,” he said.
Ideva explained that the goal was to ensure optimal IYCF, to maximise the potential of the first 1,000 days window of opportunity to save a child from malnutrition.
He said that optimal brain development of a child largely depended on sufficient, quantities of key nutrients during the first 1,000 days of life, which breastmilk provides.
“The World Health Organisation recommends that infants should not be given any form of complementary food until the first six months of age.
“But the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey 2016/2017, shows that 48 per cent of infants received complementary feeding, less than six months, receive complementary food.
“This is why we are promoting early initiation of breast feeding, exclusive breast feeding for six months, after which complementary feeding should be introduced while still giving the breast for up to two years.
“This is being done under the CS-SUNN pooled fund project that supports multi-sectoral stakeholder platforms in scaling up nutrition in countries,” he said.
Ideva said the goal was to increase the effectiveness and impact of national efforts to end malnutrition in all its forms.
