By Aniefiok Christopher
To combat the growing challenge of malnutrition in Nigeria, Helen Keller International, in partnership with federal and Akwa Ibom State health agencies, has launched the Integrated Management of Acute Malnutrition (IMAM) Out-Patient Therapeutic Programme (OTP) site in Etinan Local Government Area of the state.
The initiative, which began on Monday, aims to strengthen nutrition services and provide life-saving treatment for children suffering from acute malnutrition.
Flagging off the project, the Coordinator, Office of the First Lady, Akwa Ibom State, Lady Helen Eno-Obareki said the project, aimed at tackling the rising cases of acute malnutrition among children under five, aligns with the ARISE Agenda of Governor Umo Eno, which prioritizes maternal and child health as a core component of the state’s development strategy.
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Urging mothers and caregivers to take advantage of the facility and other health centres, Lady Obareki described the establishment of the IMAM site as a transition from policy to life-saving action, providing a specialised centre for the screening, diagnosis, and treatment of malnourished children.
The Coordinator commended Helen Keller International, the Federal and State Ministries of Health, and the Primary Health Care Development Agency for their technical and logistical support.
While thanking health workers for their dedication, she called on them as “frontline heroes” to carry out their duties with professionalism and compassion.
Mrs Obareki reiterated the commitment of GIFA and the First Lady’s Office to fight against malnutrition, pledging continuous collaboration with partners to ensure that every child in the state grows healthy and well-nourished.
Speaking earlier on the health project, the representative of the Country Director of Helen Keller International, Ms Delphine Danboyi, revealed that malnutrition continues to pose a grave threat to child survival in Nigeria, with 45 percent of all deaths among children under five directly or indirectly linked to malnutrition.
“To support the ongoing initiatives by the Government of Nigeria in tackling malnutrition crisis in the country, Helen Keller Nigeria, through its Life-Saving Nutrition Project with funding from Founders Pledge, is collaborating with the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare (FMOHSW) to strengthen the prevention and treatment of wasting in Nigeria,” Ms Danboyi hinted.
She noted that the IMAM sites in Etinan and Nsit Atai Local Government Areas aim to combat the threats to child survival, provide hope and save the lives of children suffering from acute malnutrition in undeserved communities.
Earlier, the Chairman of Etinan Local Government Area, Hon Uko Umo, had thanked Helen Keller International for selecting Etinan Local Government Area as one of the first beneficiaries of their health intervention programme, expressing his readiness to collaborate with organisations that aim to drive development and enhance the living standard of residents.
Giving briefs on IMAM, Ms Pauline Adah said the organization is building the capacity of health workers and establishing Integrated Management of Acute Malnutrition (IMAM) – Outpatient Therapeutic Programme (OTP) services in State. The initiative will begin with one primary health care facility each in Etinan and Nsit Atai Local Government Areas, serving as operational bases and model sites.
As part of their support to government intervention, Adah said Helen Keller Nigeria is supplying 1,500 cartons of Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) to treat 1,500 children with Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM), 446 cartons of Small Quantity Lipid-based Nutrient Supplements (SQLNS) to the selected health centers to prevent malnutrition in over 2,800 vulnerable children.
In their goodwill messages, representative of the State Director, National Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Dr Aniefiok Iwok; and Representative of the Executive Secretary, State Primary Health Care Development Agency, Mr David Umoh, among others, applauded government’s commitment, development partners, health workers and community volunteers who drive the process of rescuing malnourished children and enhancing the survival and development chances of vulnerable children.
