UNICEF Raises Alarm Over Child Malnutrition in Kano: Over Half of Children Stunted

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has expressed deep concern over the nutritional health of children in Kano State, revealing that 51.9 percent of them suffer from stunted growth due to chronic malnutrition. This troubling statistic was shared by Mr. Rahma Farah, UNICEF’s Chief of Field Office in Kano, during a formal handover of Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) at Takai Local Government Area. The intervention was made possible through a collaborative effort between the government and UNICEF under the Child Nutrition Match Fund initiative.

Represented by Dr. Serekeberehan Deres, UNICEF Health Manager, Farah highlighted that the figures indicate that roughly one in every two children in the state is not developing properly. He further pointed out that more than 10 percent of children in Kano are suffering from wasting — a severe condition characterized by rapid weight loss and extreme thinness, which, if untreated, poses a high risk of death.

Farah emphasized that child malnutrition is a pressing public health crisis needing immediate and coordinated action. He called on government bodies, civil society groups, and traditional and religious institutions to scale up interventions that promote better nutrition. He specifically stressed the importance of investing in a child’s first 1,000 days of life, noting that nutrition interventions are among the most cost-effective tools for driving national development.

In response, Kano State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Abubakar Labaran, reaffirmed the state’s commitment to tackling malnutrition. He noted that the government had recently initiated programs focusing on maternal and child health and pledged continued collaboration with UNICEF and other development partners to improve child survival and reduce malnutrition across the state.