Red Cross Trains Nursing Mothers, Pregnant Women on Child Nutrition in Katsina

Francis Sardauna in Katsina

The Nigerian Red Cross Society has trained 20 nursing mothers and pregnant women in Katsina State on nutritional values in order to tackle malnutrition among children in the state.

The two-day integrated community-based Management of Acute Malnutrition (CMAM) and Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF) training, has participants from Katsina, Jibia and Kurfi Local Government Areas of the state.

The state Secretary of the Nigerian Red Cross Society, Bala Abdullahi Hussaini, told THISDAY Friday that the training was organised to educate mothers on types of food, feeding and healthcare to be given to their children to make them more healthy.

He explained that those trained would also in return train others and form mothers’ associations in their communities to spread the message of importance of nutrition in different localities of the state.

He reiterated that adequate nutrition before the reproductive years further helps to ensure achievement of proper adolescent growth, sufficient nutrient storage during reproductive years for a healthy pregnancy and appropriate nutritional status.

Hussaini said: “We trained them on the nutritional value of some of our local foods so that when they go back, they will form mothers’ clubs that will help them on how to utilize our local foods that are very nutritional to our children.

“Mothers and children are our main target and we will not relent in associating with the entire households to ensure health and nutrition play predominant roles in their abodes through incessant education on the subject matter.”

He added that the essence of the capacity building training was to also complement the government’s effort in addressing the issue of malnutrition in the state.