By Israel Adamu, Jos
The Plateau State Government, in collaboration with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), has distributed 5,392 cartons of Small Quantity Lipid-Based Nutrient Supplements (SQ-LNS) to combat malnutrition among children.
The supplements, handed over to local government areas across the state, are targeted at children aged 6–23 months. They are expected to support dietary needs for about 80,000 children over the next five months.
Represented by his deputy, Ngo Josephine Piyo, Governor Caleb Mutfwang described the intervention as timely, noting that it would help prevent irreversible damage to the cognitive, intellectual, and physical development of children.
“Plateau State is pleased to be part of this child-focused investment. We understand that the key to good health and mental development is appropriate complementary feeding, rich in the correct micronutrients, following exclusive breastfeeding during the first six months of life,” he said.
He reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to implementing cost-effective nutrition interventions that save lives and reduce childhood suffering.
UNICEF Country Representative, Mrs. Wafaa Saeed Abdelatef, commended the state government for leveraging the Child Nutrition Fund (CNF) mechanism. She disclosed that Plateau is among the first states to take advantage of the matching grant, with Governor Mutfwang’s administration investing $200,000 to purchase the SQ-LNS.
She added that the supplements would play a critical role in preventing children from sliding into severe malnutrition.
In a statement, the Chief Press Secretary to the Deputy Governor, Martha Nyam, said the Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Hon. Adams Lekshak, confirmed that a second phase of distribution would follow. He applauded the state government for prioritizing nutrition, describing it as a pathway to economic development and national unity.
