The Kano State Government has warned against the sale and diversion of Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF), stressing that the product is strictly meant for the treatment of malnourished children and not for commercial purposes.
The Commissioner for Health, Dr Abubakar Yusuf, issued the warning during a press briefing on the administration’s achievements in the health sector over the past three years.
He described RUTF as a specialised nutritional supplement used in the treatment of severe acute malnutrition among children and warned that anyone caught selling or diverting it would be prosecuted.
According to him, the government discovered on assumption of office in 2023 that both RUTF supplies and Centres for Integrated Management of Acute Malnutrition (CIMAM) were virtually non-existent in the state.
He said Governor Abba Yusuf approved the revival of the centres, resulting in the establishment of 95 CIMAM centres across Kano’s 44 local government areas.
Dr Yusuf also disclosed that Governor Yusuf approved the release of N500 million to UNICEF in November 2024 for the procurement of RUTF. The contribution was matched by UNICEF, leading to the purchase of therapeutic food worth N1 billion.
He said the products have been distributed free of charge since 2025 and urged residents to report any case of diversion or sale of the product to security agencies.
“RUTF is not for sale anywhere. If you see it being sold, it is stolen government property,” the commissioner said.
The commissioner also highlighted the government’s efforts to reduce maternal and newborn mortality in the state.
He noted that the administration inherited a high maternal mortality rate, with 1,026 women dying out of every 100,000 deliveries.
To address the challenge, he said the government introduced measures targeting delays in decision-making, transportation and access to quality healthcare.
According to him, the governor approved the procurement of 484 mini ambulances, one for each ward in the state, to transport pregnant women to health facilities during emergencies.
He further disclosed that 1,018 community-based health workers had been recruited to provide maternal and child healthcare services at the grassroots level, while 320 Primary Healthcare Centres had been rehabilitated and equipped.
On newborn health, Dr Yusuf said the state had established neonatal corners in health facilities to provide immediate assessment and care for newborns.
He added that free oxygen services had also been introduced in public hospitals to reduce preventable deaths among women and children.
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