The Sokoto State Primary Health Care Development Agency (SPHCDA) Nutrition Unit, in partnership with the UNICEF Field Office Sokoto, has concluded a crucial two-day Social and Behavior Change (SBC) Validation Meeting aimed at standardizing its communication materials.
Held at the Kamba Motel Hotel in Birnin Kebbi, the meeting brought together key stakeholders to review and validate SBC materials that will guide community nutrition programming in Sokoto State.
Declaring the meeting open, the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Faruk Umar Wurno—represented by the Permanent Secretary, Ibrahim Haliru Dingyadi—charged participants to thoroughly scrutinize the materials to ensure they reflect high-quality standards and are adaptable to the needs of the state’s communities. He noted that the outcome would help position Sokoto’s documentation as a national reference.
In his welcome remarks, Dr. Tukur Garba Magaji, Director of Community Health, underscored the importance of the exercise in ensuring that behavior change communication tools are not only technically sound but also culturally relevant and impactful.
UNICEF’s Chief of Party, Mr. Michael Juma, represented by Ibrahim Haruna, reaffirmed UNICEF’s continued support for Sokoto State’s nutrition agenda, stressing the importance of collaboration in tackling malnutrition.
Also speaking, Ayo Bami of Nutrition International delivered a goodwill message on behalf of development partners, commending the state and its partners for prioritizing nutrition and pushing for sustainable progress.
The Sokoto State Government expressed deep appreciation to UNICEF, Nutrition International, and all participants for their technical input and steadfast support, describing the validation meeting as a milestone towards improving child nutrition and community health outcomes.
