The Bauchi State Primary Healthcare Board has flagged off the activation of nutrition corners and the creation of facility gardens at the primary healthcare center (PHC) level as a strategy to reduce the high burden of malnutrition in the state.
The project, supported by Catalyzing Strengthened Policy Action for Healthy Diets and Resilience (CASCADE) and the Development Exchange Centre (DEC), is being implemented in 25 PHCs across five local government areas: Bauchi, Dass, Jama’are, Ningi, and Toro.
Project Manager of CASCADE, Isaac Ishaya, said the activation of the nutrition corners is based on a situational analysis conducted by the organization, which found that frontline health workers had limited access to nutrition education, particularly in rural areas.
“The nutrition corners target pregnant women and lactating mothers who frequently visit health facilities. The project utilizes antenatal care (ANC) sessions to educate these women on household recipes they can replicate at home to improve their nutritional status and that of their families,” he explained.
Ishaya noted that the creation of facility gardens is expected to complement the nutrition corners, providing women of reproductive age with basic knowledge of good agronomic practices.
“We are leveraging the facility gardens to introduce production-related skills, such as cultivating orange-fleshed sweet potatoes and tropical vegetables,” he added.
According to him, the initiative will provide women with essential information and training on key nutritional messages, empowering them to implement these practices in their homes.
Executive Chairman of the Bauchi State Primary Healthcare Board, Dr. Rilwanu Mohammed, highlighted that Bauchi has poor malnutrition indices, as indicated in the 2023/2024 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS).
He emphasized the need for a multi-sectoral approach to address the issue.
“Inflation, ignorance, and a lack of exclusive breastfeeding are some of the factors contributing to rising malnutrition in Bauchi State,” he noted.
He commended CASCADE for reactivating nutrition corners and establishing facility gardens in selected PHCs, stating that the initiative will go a long way in improving the nutritional status of residents.
Bauchi State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Child Development, Zainab Baban Takko, reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to the health and well-being of women and children.
Represented by the commissioner, Habiba Adamu, said the nutrition corners would equip women with knowledge on how to use local crops to prepare balanced diets.
She encouraged them to establish small home gardens where they could grow vegetables, further enhancing their household nutrition.
By Lizzy Carr
