UNICEF warns health workers against diversion of supplements meant for child nutrition
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has cautioned frontline health workers across the health facilities in the 17 Local Government Areas of Enugu State against allowing Small Quantity Lipid-Based Nutrient Supplements (SQ-LNS) and Multiple Micronutrient Supplements (MMS) meant for child nutrition to be diverted into local markets.
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has cautioned frontline health workers across the health facilities in the 17 Local Government Areas of Enugu State against allowing Small Quantity Lipid-Based Nutrient Supplements (SQ-LNS) and Multiple Micronutrient Supplements (MMS) meant for child nutrition to be diverted into local markets.
Juliet Chiluwe, chief of UNICEF’s Enugu Field Office, gave the warning at the conclusion of a three-day intensive training for frontline health workers on the administration of SQ-LNS.
The training was organised by the Enugu State Primary Healthcare Development Agency (ESPHCDA) and the State Ministry of Health in collaboration with UNICEF.
Chiluwe said UNICEF’s mandate was to work with governments to ensure that children’s rights are protected and that they have access to quality healthcare and nutrition services.
“As you are aware, UNICEF’s mandate is to partner with governments to ensure that the rights of children are attained. When children’s rights are protected, the state also benefits through improved human capital development,” she said.
She commended the administration of Governor Peter Mbah for partnering UNICEF under the Child Nutrition Fund initiative, with additional support from the United States Government, to improve child nutrition outcomes in the state.
According to her, the training was designed to equip frontline health workers with the knowledge and skills required to administer the SQ-LNS programme effectively at healthcare facilities across the state.
“We are finalising the training of frontline health workers who will administer the supplements to eligible children at health centres. This initiative is aimed at improving the nutritional status and overall wellbeing of children,” she stated.
Chiluwe urged parents and caregivers to take advantage of the programme by ensuring that children receive routine immunisation and nutritional support, while pregnant women attend antenatal care services regularly.
She explained that the supplements are targeted at children between six and 23 months of age and are intended to prevent micronutrient deficiencies that contribute to stunting and other forms of malnutrition.
“We advise caregivers not to divert these products. They are specifically meant for children and should be administered only to the intended beneficiaries. It is important that there are no leakages into local markets,” she warned.
She further called on all stakeholders to safeguard the commodities and ensure they get to the end users for whom they were procured for.
Ifenyinwa Ani-Osheku, executive secretary of the Enugu State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, represented by the Director of Disease Control and Immunisation, Chinaelo Nnadi, while speaking at the end of the training said the it was part of efforts to ensure effective distribution and utilisation of the supplements procured through the partnership between the state government and UNICEF.
She praised the state government for providing counterpart funding under the Child Nutrition Fund and UNICEF for matching the contribution, which enabled the procurement of the supplements.
According to her, proper training of health workers is critical to achieving the desired impact of the programme.
“Without adequate training of Officers-in-Charge and nutrition focal persons in health facilities, our efforts may not yield the desired results. For the past three days, participants have undergone intensive training on the use, documentation and management of the commodities,” she said.
Nnadi explained that each eligible child between six and 23 months is expected to receive 180 sachets of the supplement over a six-month period.
Robert Chima, deputy director of Nutrition and Dietetics at the Nutrition Institute of Child Health, University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH), Enugu, said the training was aimed at reducing malnutrition and infant mortality in Enugu State and Nigeria as a whole.
Chima, who was one of the resource persons at the workshop, also noted that participants were trained on the administration of SQ-LNS for children and Multiple Micronutrient Supplements (MMS) for pregnant and lactating women.
He noted that pre- and post-training assessments showed that participants had gained a clear understanding of the programme and its implementation strategies.
“The rate of malnutrition in Nigeria remains high. This training is equipping health workers with the knowledge and skills required to administer SQ-LNS effectively, helping children receive essential micronutrients needed for healthy growth and development,” he said.
He urged participants to apply the knowledge acquired during the training in their respective health facilities to improve child health outcomes and save lives.
The workshop forms part of broader efforts by the Enugu State Government and UNICEF to strengthen child nutrition interventions and tackle malnutrition among vulnerable children and mothers across the state.
