Chima Azubuike, Gombe
Country Director, Network for Health, Equity and Development (NHED) Dr. Emmanuel Sokpo, says it costs 21,350 to treat a Severely Acute Malnourished child.
Sokpo revealed this on Tuesday during a webinar with the theme “Harnessing innovative financing options for nutrition: the role of media” organized by the four consortium; international society of media in public health (ISMPH), Aisha Buhari Foundation (ABF), Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), network for health, equity and development (NHED)
He said, “Ready to use therapeutic food (RUTF) can effectively treat children with SAM at the community level with 95% cure rate.
“It costs N21, 350 to cure a child with SAM for an 8 week treatment with RUTF compared with 6months treatment with other forms of treatment. It costs N36,750 to cure a child in emergency state with Severe Acute Malnutrition.”
While urging government for timely release of funds for the procurement of Ready To Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) for the treatment of children suffering from Severe Acute Malnutrition, he urged federal government to return & release the N800m for RUTF removed from Federal Ministry of Health 2020 budget.
“Inadequate allocation and poor or non release, High cost of Ready To Use Therapeutic Food which is mostly imported instead of local production has not been fully developed.
“Quantity procured, shelf life,
distribution and stock balance
Consumption/utilization. federal government should return & release the N800m for RUTF removed from Federal Ministry of Health 2020 budget.
On her part, Executive Secretary – Civil Society Scaling Up Nutrition in Nigeria (CS-SUNN), Beatrice Eluaka called on journalists to do informed, and analytical/investigative reporting on nutrition.
According to Eluaka, “They should avoid media pieces that are inaccurate, misleading, superficial, sensation
seeking, politically motivated and reactive (to Government statements or events) with little
proactive analysis.
“Media reportage around such issues as budgets for nutrition, implementation and funding of nutrition policy documents, utilization and releases of funds allotted to nutrition, promotion of research and development for nutrition among others are particularly key to generating actions among government and non-government actors, private investors, funders etc. that will improve financing options for nutrition in Nigeria.”
Also speaking, Strategic Communications, Advocacy & Behavior Change Expert, Adviser & Trainer, Prof. Adebayo Fayoyin, stressed the need for government to Scale up high-quality information and communication on behaviours and practices that improve nutrition.
“Invest in a systems approach to deliver services supporting nutrition. Engage and empower women and girls through context-appropriate platforms. Ensure sustainable and diverse food production, consumption, and availability year-round. Prioritize pro-poor investments and interventions. Support nutrition coordination and roll out strategies and plans. Build strong evidence on agriculture-nutrition linkages.
“Prioritize pro-poor investments and interventions. Appropriate budgetary allocation and release
Domestic funding – private sector etc
Donor funding – dwindling
Crowd sourcing, Equity-based investments and budgeting as well as
leveraging government funding,” he stated.
