In response to the alarming levels of malnutrition in North-East Nigeria, the European Union (EU) is allocating N900 million in humanitarian aid to provide emergency assistance to children and mothers suffering from severe acute malnutrition.

    In a statement on Friday by the Press Officer, Delegation of the European Union to the Federal Republic of Nigeria and ECOWAS, Politics, Press and Information Section, Mr. Modestus Chukwulaka, the funding was to enable the Nigeria Red Cross Society assist approximately 170,000 households affected by or at risk of malnutrition in the Northern states of Adamawa, Benue, Borno, Katsina, Niger, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe, and Zamfara.

   According to the EU, the aid will specifically support lifesaving activities for over 30,000 children in urgent need of treatment. Also, community outreach and screening would be integrated with outpatient care for uncomplicated severe cases using ready-to-use therapeutic food while the most complex cases would be referred to health centres for specialised care, all in accordance with national health protocols.

  “The Red Cross will expand its health and nutrition interventions while contributing to improving the medium-term resilience of the affected families and intensifying efforts in water, protection, sanitation and hygiene,” the statement read in part.

  It added that the funding was part of the EU’s overall contribution to the Disaster Response Emergency Fund (DREF) of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).

  The EU decried that in the Northeast (Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states) and Northwest (Katsina, Sokoto and Zamfara states) of Nigeria, an estimated 5.44 million children under five were acutely malnourished while two million have been projected to suffer from severe acute malnutrition requiring lifesaving treatment, especially during the peak of the lean season from June to September of this year.

  “The nutrition crisis is worsening, driven by ongoing conflict and growing insecurity. This has led to prolonged displacement, a loss of livelihoods, and a significant reduction in vulnerable families’ access to essential healthcare services.

  “Compounding this situation are economic pressures and climate-related shocks, such as flooding as well as suboptimal maternal and child feeding practices,” the statement added.