By CHARLES IWUOHA

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has sounded a fresh alarm over the rising rate of child malnutrition, describing it as one of the most critical public health challenges confronting Ebonyi State.

The concern was made on Monday in Abakaliki, during the official handover of 2,832 cartons of Small Quantity Lipid-Based Nutrient Supplements (SQ-LNS), procured through UNICEF’s Child Nutrition Match-Fund Project.

Chief of UNICEF Field Office, Juliet Chiluwe, revealed that child stunting rates in Ebonyi have continued to surge, moving from 20.6 percent in 2015, to 25 percent in 2018, and now an alarming 32 percent in 2024.

She stated that the fast-rising figure reflects an urgent need to intensify proven nutrition interventions such as SQ-LNS, especially in states with high malnutrition burdens like Ebonyi.

Chiluwe explained that the latest handover followed a co-financing arrangement under the Child Nutrition Match-Fund initiative, commending the Ebonyi State Government for investing ₦150 million, which UNICEF matched to procure and deliver the supplements.

She emphasized that the SQ-LNS nutrient packs are vital within the first 1,000 days of a child’s life, as they support healthy growth, strengthen immunity, aid brain development, and improve overall child survival when properly delivered.

UNICEF further urged the state government to ensure transparent and efficient last-mile distribution of the supplements, particularly to rural and hard-to-reach communities where malnutrition is most prevalent.

Receiving the items on behalf of the state government, Governor Francis Nwifuru, represented by Deputy Governor Patricia Obila, expressed optimism that the intervention would significantly reduce malnutrition rates in the state.

He assured that the government would prioritize prompt and transparent distribution to ensure the supplements reach the intended beneficiaries without delay.

Governor Nwifuru reiterated his administration’s commitment to improving child health outcomes, noting that nutrition remains central to the state’s human capital development agenda.

The state’s Commissioner for Health, Dr. Moses Ekuma, applauded the governor for fulfilling the counterpart funding requirement, describing the investment as a timely and lifesaving decision.

Ekuma disclosed that the ministry would soon commence capacity-building sessions for health workers to ensure the supplements are distributed strictly according to government guidelines and UNICEF standards.

He added that the state government is determined to strengthen community health structures to guarantee that vulnerable households benefit fully from the intervention.

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