The Kano State Government has warned nutrition coordinators not to steal, sell, or divert therapeutic food meant for malnourished children.
The state said anyone caught doing this will be arrested and prosecuted.
Dr. Abubakar Labaran Yusuf, Kano’s Commissioner for Health, made the warning at a meeting that closed the MIYCN and MMS programme run by the FHI 360 Alive and Thrive Nigeria Project.
The meeting reviewed the programme’s results and the state’s plans after the project activities ended.
Dr. Yusuf said the state will not accept actions that harm efforts to improve the health of mothers, children and adolescents.
He stressed that security agencies are watching distribution closely.
“Let me inform you that security agencies are monitoring all activities closely. Any Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) that goes missing will have consequences. Make sure you do not collude with anyone to divert these supplements. They are meant solely for malnourished children,” he said.
The commissioner added that the RUTF stocks are worth N1bn. Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf provided N500 million and UNICEF provided another N500 million to buy the supplements, which should last for several months.
Dr. Yusuf said the supplies and other partner support aim to cut malnutrition and reduce anaemia in pregnant women across the state.
