34, 000 children face acute malnutrition in Taraba—UNICEF

The United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) has said that over 34, 000 children in Taraba state face severe acute malnutrition, if serious measures are not taken immediately to save the situation.

Chief of field office, UNICEF Nigeria, Bauchi field Office, Mr. Bhanu Pathak, raised the alarm during a courtesy call on Governor Darius Ishaku on Thursday in Jalingo.

“Currently, Taraba state has an estimated 34, 419 severe acute malnutrition cases. With no health facility to provide treatment, these children will be at risk of dying, if the government does not intervene appropriately and timely.

“Many children who may survive malnutrition in early life are condemned to permanent physical and intellectual disabilities in later life.

“Thus, productivity of the future leaders of the state will be adversely affected,” he said.

Pathak also disclosed that more than 75, 000 children less than five years are yet to be fully immunised from polio and other child-killer diseases and urged the state government to step up actions to address the issues.

“The UNICEF is also worried that over 75, 000 children in the state are not yet fully immunised while over 500, 000 children of school age are out of school.

“This is further complicated because of the insurgency in the region which has turned Taraba state to a home for most of the people fleeing. The internal wrangling has added to the problem.

“We therefore, urge the state government to step up actions to address these challenges,” the UNICEF official said.

He commended the governor for his commitment to the improvement of health and quality education of children in the state and for attending to the plight of the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).

Responding, Gov. Ishaku said that the state is “immensely grateful to UNICEF for the various interventions in key areas of education, health, nutrition, child protection and Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH).”

Gov. Ishaku disclosed that the state government has made tremendous efforts and recorded great success in the provision of health services, education and the general well being of mothers and children.