Nutrition International Extends BCI to 8 LGAs in Sokoto

Onuminya Innocent in Sokoto

As part of strategies to improve the health status among pregnant women and Zinc LO-ORS for the treatment of children with diarrhoea in Sokoto State, Nutrition International has scaled up the coverage of implementation from three LGAs to eight local government areas in the state.

The state Coordinator for Nutrition International, Oyedeji Ayobami, and the implementing partner for FACEPam Project Officer, Elizabeth Stephen Kassam, stated this during a one-day Gender Responsive Behaviour Change Intervention Project for stakeholders and journalists in Sokoto.

The project, which was initially in three local government areas of Bodinga, Gwadabawa, and Sokoto South are now scaled up to Wamakko, Denge-Shuni, Illela, Kware and Sokoto North LGAs respectively, targeting about 4,320 pregnant women in a month.

They said: “Due to the success recorded previously by the outreach in the three local government areas in the state, an additional five local government areas has been added for another six months beginning from November this year to April 2024.

“The gender responsive BCI strategy is to be rolled out in Wamakko, Dange Shuni, Sokoto North, Illela and Kware, while the Zinc LO-ORS BCI strategy will be implemented in 23 local government areas of Sokoto State.

“The programme is to increase knowledge among pregnant women and influences on the benefits of attending at least more than four ante-natal starting from early pregnancy.

“It is also meant to increase knowledge among pregnant women and influencers of IFA and its benefits for the health of pregnant mothers and their infants, among others.”

Oyedeji explained that 10 primary health centres has be chosen in each of the eight local government areas across the state.

In her goodwill message, the Assistant Director, Reproductive Health, Sokoto State Primary Health Care Management Authority, Mairo Rabiu Sharif, assured the organisation that the state Ministry of Health would continue to partner Nutrition International in promoting the well-being of women and children in the state.

Buhari Bello Tambuwal who spoke on behalf of the Ministry of Budget and Planning, said the ministry would continue to work with Nutrition International to improve the nutrition status of pregnant women and children under five years old in the state.