BY DAHIRU SULEIMAN, DUTSE.
Recent global indices by World Health Organization (WHO) has indicated that anaemia affects 43 per cent of children of ages of five, and over 38 per cent of women during pregnancy, which results from deficiencies of nutrients such as iron and folic acid.
Against this backdrop, a non- governmental organization, CS- SUNN has vowed to curtail the scourge of malnutrition, among other maternal deficiencies nationwide causing maternal mortality on pregnant women’s during and after delivery.
In a paper titled Nutrition Challenges in Nigeria by Mr. Aji R. Robinson, the SUNN Steering Advocacy Committee Chairman, described anaemia, vitamin B12 deficiency, and iron deficiencies among the commonest illnesses causing maternal mortality during pregnancy and period of delivery.
He classified anaemia into three types as Iron deficiency, Folate deficiency, and Vitamin 12 deficiency, stressing that this type of anaemia occurs when the body doesn’t have enough iron to produce adequate amounts of haemoglobin.
Robinson spoke during the One Day Media Dialogue organized by CS- SUNN for Jigawa media practitioners, Civil Society Organizations, Religious and Community.
Also speaking at the event, Mal. Magaji Uba, Director P HC Nutrition Jigawa state, stated that Jigawa state government has distributed nutrients in more than 12 LGA’s across the state, in addition to the release of budgetary allocation to support nutrition commitments, among other supports.
Similarly, he disclosed that the state government has organized and sponsored high level advocacy and sensitization seminars for Religious and Community leaders on the importance of supporting the application of IFA supplementation on pregnant women for its implementation at the grassroots level, among other rendering supportive functions.