Malnutrition: UNICEF raises concerns over reported cases of RUTF sales, warns perpetrators

By Samuel Luka, Bauchi

As efforts to address malnutrition among children intensified by the United Nations Children’s Fund, People selling the Ready-to-use-Therapautic Food (RUTF) across Nigeria have been warned against the dastardly act.

The UNICEF Representative in Nigeria, Cristian Munduate who gave the warning in Toro local government area of Bauchi state on Monday shortly after inspecting Nutrition foods for Nursing mothers and children supported by UNICEF, said sellers of the RUTF are committing the offence of felony which is against the law.

Munduate said by selling one pack of the RUTF, the seller has succeeded in killing one child who needs it to stay alive.

She said that RUTF are specially prepared for children, particularly children undergoing treatment for severe acute malnutrition (SAM).

“The RUTF are medical Therapeutic Foods which are only good for children. I heard that some people are selling them, but I must warn that if adults take these food they may be affected”, Cristian Munduate said.

She described as untrue, the purported believe by some people that the RUTF if taken by adults, is capable of boosting their fertility or making them become stronger.

“I want to say that, that is not true, they may even lose these capacities, because it is for children and not for adults”, she reiterated.

The UNICEF Representative in Nigeria called on every good citizen to speak and exposed the the people selling or misusing the RUTF if found by reporting them to the relevant authorities.

“This is a felony, it is a crime and you must know that whenever you sell RUTF, you are killing a child”, she emphasized.

Cristian Munduate added that more than half of the children in Bauchi have problems of chronic malnutrition, particularly in children under the age of five whose brain development has been affected as a result of malnutrition.

While stating that malnourished children will have problems of learning and intellectual capacity, a problem that has no way to fix, Cristian Munduate explained that it is important for authorities in the state and the country at large to really take action in reducing chronic malnutrition.

“The second issue is the number of Severe Acute malnutrition at the LGA level. These are children under one year of age and they are about to die because they are very sick and need urgent medical attention to remain alive.” She said.

She added that, “What I see is that the people in the community at LGA level do not receive the necessary support like Budgets, but they are still trying. Toro LGA for example is Open defecation Free, but this is done by the efforts of the local authorities and the community, this success is theirs.”

Cristian Munduate stressed that, “We really want authorities at different levels to come in and help the different LGAs in Bauchi state. Right now, we have seen many of the wards in Toro LGA that have a food system that is working.This has helped in the prevention of malnutrition in children and women that are pregnant as well as given prosperity to the community.”

She stated that, “What UNICEF needs is more commitment from government at all levels, UNICEF is only providing support, but we cannot reach everybody.”

“The Nutrition fund needs to be signed in the state so that it can be of benefit to thousands of children. We heard the Governor has shown commitment to the fund which means that if the government puts One Naira, UNICEF will put One Naira for the good of the children,” She said.

Cristian Munduate also visited Dandaure village where She commemded efforts of rural women in producing local food to feed and stay healthy as well as their children especially those U-5.