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The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has warned frontline health workers in Enugu state against diverting Small Quantity Lipid-Based Nutrient Supplements (SQ-LNS) and Multiple Micronutrient Supplements (MMS) intended for child nutrition programmes into local markets.
UNICEF emphasized that these supplements are provided to improve the nutritional status of children and vulnerable groups and must reach the intended beneficiaries without interference or misuse.
The warning was given by Juliet Chiluwe, Chief of UNICEF’s Enugu Field Office, at the conclusion of a three-day intensive training for frontline health workers on the administration of SQ-LNS.
Speaking during training was organized by the Enugu State Primary Healthcare Development Agency (ESPHCDA) and the State Ministry of Health in collaboration with UNICEF, Chiluwe said UNICEF’s mandate is to work with governments to ensure that children’s rights are protected and that they have access to quality healthcare and nutrition services.
According to her, “As you are aware, UNICEF’s mandate is to partner with governments to ensure that the rights of children are attained. When children’s rights are protected, the state also benefits through improved human capital development,” she said.
She commended the administration of Governor Peter Mbah for partnering with UNICEF under the Child Nutrition Fund initiative, with additional support from the United States Government, to improve child nutrition outcomes in the state.
She said the training was designed to equip frontline health workers with the knowledge and skills required to administer the SQ-LNS programme effectively at healthcare facilities across the state.
Chiluwe said, “We are finalising the training of frontline health workers who will administer the supplements to eligible children at health centres. This initiative is aimed at improving the nutritional status and overall well-being of children,” she stated.
She thereby urged parents and caregivers to take advantage of the programme by ensuring that children receive routine immunisation and nutritional support, while pregnant women attend antenatal care services regularly.
She explained that the supplements are targeted at children between six and 23 months of age and are intended to prevent micronutrient deficiencies that contribute to stunting and other forms of malnutrition.
“We advise caregivers not to divert these products. They are specifically meant for children and should be administered only to the intended beneficiaries. It is important that there are no leakages into local markets,” she warned.
She further called on all stakeholders to safeguard the commodities and ensure they reach the children for whom they were procured.
Also speaking, Ifenyinwa Ani-Osheku, the Executive Secretary of the Enugu State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, represented by the Director of Disease Control and Immunisation, Chinalo Nnadi, said the training was part of efforts to ensure effective distribution and utilisation of the supplements procured through the partnership between the state government and UNICEF.
She praised the state government for providing counterpart funding under the Child Nutrition Fund and UNICEF for matching the contribution, which enabled the procurement of the supplements.
According to her, proper training of health workers is critical to achieving the desired impact of the programme.
Also, Robert Chima, Deputy Director of Nutrition and Dietetics at the Nutrition Institute of Child Health, University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH), Enugu, said the training was aimed at reducing malnutrition and infant mortality in Enugu State and Nigeria as a whole.
