UNICEF and the Kaduna State Primary Health Care Board conducted a follow-up zero-dose mobile outreach in Gidan Maigari, addressing health gaps in the remote Zangon Aya Ward, Igabi Local Government Areas, Kaduna State.
The initiative aims to address the pressing health and nutrition needs of underserved and hard-to-reach communities.
The outreach was a response to an earlier intervention on May 28, which revealed widespread health challenges.
These included a high number of unvaccinated children (zero-dose) and several cases of severe acute malnutrition (SAM).
Speaking to journalists at the outreach, the Nutrition Specialist at the UNICEF Kaduna Field Office, Chinwe Ezeife disclosed that during the initial visit, health personnel identified 48 zero-dose children and diagnosed 52 children with SAM without complications.
She said that an additional five children were found to have SAM with medical complications.
Ezeife also reported nine suspected measles cases, including one involving a pregnant woman.
She said due to the high turnout during the first outreach, the team was unable to conduct thorough follow-ups.
According to her, this prompted a coordinated response involving the SPHCB, Kaduna State Ministry of Health, Igabi Local Government Health Department, and Zangon Aya Integrated Primary Health Centre, with support from UNICEF.
She explained that malnourished children were either enrolled in therapeutic feeding programmes or referred to stabilisation centres based on the severity of their condition.
“A disease surveillance team, comprising a surveillance officer, assistant, and medical doctor, was deployed on-site to manage suspected measles cases.”
Ezeife highlighted the outreach’s focus on promoting dietary diversity and providing nutrition education at the household level.
“Special attention was given to Maternal, Infant, and Young Child Nutrition (MIYCN) counseling, encouraging women to initiate breastfeeding within one hour of childbirth, practice exclusive breastfeeding for six months, and introduce appropriate complementary feeding thereafter.”
She linked the intervention to UNICEF’s First 1,000 Days of Life initiative, emphasising the crucial period from conception to a child’s second birthday for laying the foundation of survival, growth, and development.
She said that children enrolled in the Outpatient Therapeutic Program (OTP) would receive six to eight weeks of follow-up care, including Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) and essential medications.
Ezeife reaffirmed UNICEF’s commitment to sustained support in Gidan Maigari.
Also speaking, the Assistant State Nutrition Officer, Muhammad Tukur said children were screened using the Mid-Upper Arm Circumference (MUAC) method.
He said those with a MUAC reading below 11.5 cm were further assessed for complications.
He also said that children without complications were admitted into OTP, while others were referred to Barau Dikko Teaching Hospital for advanced care.
Tukur emphasised that treating malnutrition required a holistic approach addressing food insecurity and poverty.
He advocated for the use of affordable, locally available foods in addressing nutritional challenges.
Village Head of Gidan Maigari, Alhaji Surajo, expressed appreciation to UNICEF and its partners for bringing healthcare services to the community.
However, he raised concerns about the lack of health infrastructure, noting that the community was surrounded by isolated villages and ditches, making access to health facilities in Zangon Aya or Zaria difficult and risky.
He revealed that a previous local health post was destroyed by downpour and that women in labour often gave birth on the way to distant health centres.
He appealed to the government to build a permanent healthcare centre in the community, emphasising that access to healthcare was a basic right.
The outreach offered an integrated package of health and nutrition services, including routine immunisation for zero-dose children, antenatal care, vitamin A supplementation, deworming, and malnutrition screening using the MUAC method.
NAN
