One in Two Children in Kano suffering from stunting – UNICEF

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has expressed alarm over child malnutrition in Kano State, disclosing that 51.9 per cent of children in the state are stunted.

Speaking at the official handover of Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) in Takai Local Government Area, UNICEF’s Chief of Field Office in Kano, Mr Rahma Farah, said the figure means one in every two children is not growing well due to chronic malnutrition. Farah, represented by Dr Serekeberehan Deres, Health Manager at the Kano field office, added that over 10 per cent of children in the state are wasted — a condition marked by extreme thinness for height, often caused by recent and severe weight loss.

He warned that wasting dramatically increases the risk of death if left untreated, stressing that child malnutrition is a public health crisis requiring urgent intervention. Farah called for greater investment in both nutrition-specific and nutrition-sensitive programmes, especially during the first 1,000 days of a child’s life, when proper growth and development are most critical.

He urged the government, civil society groups, and religious and traditional leaders to intensify efforts to improve access to nutrition services, education, clean water, and healthcare, noting that investing in child nutrition remains one of the most cost-effective strategies for national development.

Kano State Commissioner for Health, Dr Abubakar Labaran, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to tackling malnutrition, highlighting recent initiatives targeting maternal and child health. He pledged continued collaboration with UNICEF and other development partners to reduce malnutrition rates and improve child survival.

Malnutrition remains a major driver of child mortality and poor educational outcomes in Nigeria, with northern states bearing a significant portion of the burden.