The Katsina State Government, in partnership with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), has stepped up efforts to curb diphtheria and promote better nutrition among residents, especially women and children.
The initiative was revealed on Tuesday during a media dialogue organised by the State Primary Health Care Agency (SPHCA) in collaboration with UNICEF and other development partners held in Katsina.
The engagement, christened: ‘Media Dialogue on the Promotion of Nutrition Behaviours and Sensitisation on Diphtheria Outbreak’, equipped journalists with information to raise public awareness on healthy nutrition and the prevention and control of diphtheria.
Addressing the participants, the Acting Executive Secretary of SPHCA, Dr Shaima’u Kabir Abba, stressed the importance of adequate and balanced nutrition in improving the health and overall well-being of women and children.
Represented by the State Health Educator, Dr Mukhtar Mahmud, Abba said good nutrition was important during the first 1,000 days of life, covering pregnancy through a child’s second birthday, describing the period as fundamental to physical growth and development.
She identified insecurity in parts of Katsina as one of the factors contributing to malnutrition among vulnerable groups and stressed the need for sustained interventions to improve maternal and child health.
She said the media engagement was aimed at strengthening public understanding of proper nutrition and healthy lifestyle choices, while supporting efforts to improve public health across the state.
She said: “Given the high burden of malnutrition in Nigeria, UNICEF, in partnership with the State Primary Health Care Agency, is working to reduce the prevalence of malnutrition in Katsina State.
“Many of the factors responsible for malnutrition are linked to social and behavioural practices. Therefore, UNICEF and the state government introduced this intervention to promote positive nutrition behaviours and encourage healthier practices within communities.”
In his remarks, the Assistant Executive Secretary of SPHCA, Dr Lawal Aminu-Danja, advised parents and caregivers to ensure that children receive all routine vaccines according to the recommended schedule.
He described diphtheria as a vaccine-preventable disease, adding that timely and complete immunisation remained one of the most effective ways of protecting children against the infection.
According to him, diphtheria is an acute bacterial infection that primarily affects the respiratory system and can present with symptoms such as a swollen neck, sore throat, fever and difficulty swallowing or breathing.
He further appealed to journalists to use their platforms to support government and development partners in educating communities about routine immunisation, proper nutrition and other preventive health measures.
Francis Sardauna
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