WFP in Northeast
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WFP in Northeast Nigeria Credit:WFP/Simonpierre Diouf SPECIALIZED NUTRITIONAL SUPPORT WFP food interventions in (INP) to reduce severe child Northeast Nigeria include malnutrition through increasing specialized nutritional assistance to coverage of Infant and Young Child directly treat and prevent Feeding interventions, enhancing malnutrition of children under age micronutrients supplementation five, pregnant women and nursing and improving quality and reducing mothers. households food insecurity and poverty. Cash-based transfers AISHAT ABUBAKAR Since the beginning of 2017 WFP (CBT) are used to maximize impact has been assisting monthly an of nutrition-specific interventions. 23-year-old Aishat Abubakar average of 133,000 children and brings her 12-month-old boy, since March 2017, 88,000 pregnant Mohammed, to Mala Kariri and lactating women in 25 LGAs in primary school. In the large Borno, Yobe and Adamawa States. school compound, she and other nursing mothers receive WFP provides specialized ready-to- the nutritional product eat supplementary food Plumpy’Sup, popularly called (Plumpy’Sup) targeting children Magani Tamuwa, or under five through blanket ‘malnutrition medicine’ in distributions. These nutrition Hausa. products help complete the children’s diet so they get enough A peanuty-tasting, power- calories and micronutrients on a packed product, Plumpy’Sup daily basis. counts among the so-called ‘therapeutic’ foods WFP uses Due to congestion and delays at to treat moderate-acute Lagos port during the height of malnutrition among children the lean season (June-August) WFP and UNICEF have also under five. specialized nutrition food did not developed a country-level joint “You would cry if you had reach the North-East in sufficient nutrition response plan that defines seen Mohammed five months quantities to allow blanket an integrated package of essential ago,” Aishat says of her now distributions to children under five health and nutrition services thriving son. “I could not as planned. WFP distribution plan combining the prevention and produce enough milk to feed was therefore adjusted to ensure treatment of acute malnutrition, him, but since WFP enrolled blanket coverage of children under and of effective and efficient for this Tamuwa, he is now interventions addressing the two. As challenges at the port are looking healthy.” underlying causes of malnutrition. being addressed, nutritional In Maiduguri and elsewhere programmes have reverted to the For its nutrition programme WFP where WFP and other original plans in October. partners with the National State humanitarian actors have Emergency Management Agency intervened, child malnutrition Since March 2017, WFP has been (SEMA), the State Primary Health has dropped from 30 percent also supporting pregnant and Care Department Agency, the a few months ago to less than nursing mothers with a monthly Nutrition and Protection Sectors, 10 percent today, says WFP provision of supplementary UNICEF, WHO and international Nutrition Officer Martin nutritious food. The women are and national NGOs: Action Against Ahimbisibwe. provided with a highly fortified Hunger, CARE, Christian Aid, blend of corn and soya and COOPI, Danish Refugee Council, “And that’s because of the vegetable oil fortified with vitamin International Medical Corps, food assistance we’ve been A. INTERSOS, Mercy Corps, Save the providing, along with support Children, Secours Islamique from other humanitarian WFP implements with UNICEF and France, and six local NGOs. actors,” he adds. Action Against Hunger (ACF) an Integrated Nutrition Programme wfp.org/countries/nigeria October 2017 .