Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) raises alarm over a severe malnutrition crisis. Discover the urgent situation and the call for immediate intervention.
A malnutrition crisis is being experienced by Bauchi, as well as most of northern Nigeria.
According to a statement released by Rabi Adamou, the project coordinator for Bauchi, there has been a distressing surge in malnutrition cases in Bauchi during the first half of 2024. The statement was provided to journalists located within the region.
MSF teams in Nigeria reported an average increase of 40 percent in malnutrition admissions compared to the same period last year.
Between January and June 2024, the organization revealed that a total of 5,787 children were admitted to their ITFC in Bauchi alongside another 17,223 at three local ambulatory therapeutic feeding centres (ATFCs). These ATFCs offer support to malnourished children before they require admission into an in-patient hospital.
Read Also: Bauchi Governor Dismisses Security Advisor
It was revealed that there has been a 127 percent and 123 percent increase in admissions during the same period in comparison to 2023.
Bauchi’s coordinator stated that the numbers of admissions are remarkably high, despite numerous factors likely contributing to this trend.
We have just entered the peak season for malnutrition and our facilities are already at maximum capacity, necessitating expansion.
Since 2012, MSF has been assisting the healthcare system in Bauchi State by tackling outbreaks of cholera, diphtheria and Lassa fever; offering medical assistance; educating healthcare workers and conducting health awareness campaigns within local communities.
MSF has been addressing the significant occurrences of malnourished children since 2022, managing a 250-bed ITFC and an inpatient paediatric department (IPD) at Kafin Madaki General Hospital.
In addition to that, we run three ATFCs located at the primary healthcare centres of Kafin Madaki, Kafin Liman and Miya.
Furthermore, there are plans for fresh community-based undertakings. The Integrated Community Case Management (iCCM/iCCM+) initiative is set to advance the current community strategy by incorporating malnutrition treatment at a local level. This program will be tested in eight villages within Miya and launches in mid-July. MSF has incorporated malnutrition alongside malaria, diarrhoea, and diagnosis tests into iCCM ventures due to an uptick of patients seeking medical care related specifically to nutritional deficiencies within the region.
According to Nathalie Avril, a Nutrition Advisor at MSF, addressing the varied causes of malnutrition requires an all-encompassing response that encompasses multiple sectors. This should encompass not only treatment but also preventative measures and improvements in livelihoods. It is crucial to acknowledge the geographic scale of the problem and respond with a broad multidisciplinary strategy.
The implementation of the “Parent MUAC” (mid upper arm circumference) program is slated for Bauchi state. The main goal of this intervention is to educate parents and caregivers on utilizing the MUAC at home, enabling them to detect early signs of malnutrition before it advances into severe cases.
The statement pointed out that although there have been joint endeavors, several obstacles persist such as restricted healthcare availability, insufficient skilled medical personnel in health centers and unavailability of medicines and therapeutic foods required to treat malnourished children. The Bauchi state delegates alongside worldwide agencies must collaborate diligently to broaden the response strategies aiming at preventing subsequent escalation of cases over time.
