Number of Malnourished Children on the increase in Taraba State, NGO Alleges
By Adi Angyu, Jalingo
A Taraba State base Non governmental organization known as Amatakhitswen Vulnerable and Less Privilege Foundation (AVLPF) has lamented on the rising number of children suffering from Severe Acute Malnutrition, SAM in Taraba State.
The Executive Director, AVLPF, Wabuji Ishaku Adda reveled this while speaking to our reporter in her office in Jalingo.
According to her, over 500 children have been discovered to be suffering from Severe Acute Malnutrition, SAM in the State.
The Executive Director added that out of the fourteen taken to a health facility, 2 have died while the remaining twelve are responding to treatment, care, therapeutic and supplementary foods.
Wabuji Ishaku Adda explained that those under treatment are recovering, gaining weight and their health has improved significantly.
“There are hundreds of children we discovered out there in the rural areas dying as a result of malnourishment and their parents cannot afford one square meal in a day due to the economic hardship in the country”.
The Executive Director regretted that the organization is facing financial challenges but called on the United Nations Children Emergency Fund, UNICEF, the World Health Organization (WHO), wealthy individuals and Government to come to the aid of the organization to save malnourished children in Taraba State.
According to UNICEF statistics, over 2 million children in Nigeria are suffering from severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM).
