The International Red Cross has strengthened Katsina State’s fight against malnutrition with the donation of approximately 4,117 cartons containing 600,500 packs of Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF).
Mr Bala Abdullahi-Hussaini, Secretary of the state branch of the organization, disclosed this on Monday during a meeting with journalists in Katsina.
He explained that the intervention, implemented through the state’s Primary Health Care Agency, is aimed at supporting the government’s ongoing nutrition response.
Abdullahi-Hussaini said Bindawa, Zango and Kankia Local Government Areas had already benefited from the RUTF distribution.
“The donation is part of the Red Cross’s commitment to strengthening nutrition services across vulnerable communities and ensuring that children suffering from Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) receive timely and life-saving treatment,” he said.
Beyond nutrition, he noted that the Red Cross, through the Victim Support Fund (VSF) project, had trained communities in Batsari, Jibia, Faskari and Funtua on peacebuilding, community resilience and youth empowerment.
He added that skills-acquisition equipment was distributed to 850 beneficiaries, including the elderly, persons with special needs, breastfeeding mothers and youths.
“The Red Cross also carried out cholera response operations in Jibia, Batsari, Bindawa and Charanchi, distributing aquatabs and food to over 600 beneficiaries,” Abdullahi-Hussaini said.
According to him, the organization reached more than 500,000 residents statewide through COVID-19 sensitization campaigns and distributed 500 diphtheria awareness pamphlets.
He further revealed that in 2021, the Red Cross disbursed ₦124 million in cash support across Jibia, Funtua and Batsari, with each beneficiary receiving ₦35,000.
