The United Nations Children’s Fund says 250,000 out of 1.2 million children in Zamfara suffer from severe acute malnutrition.

UNICEF representative Cristian Munduate said this at a news briefing in Gusau on Wednesday.

Ms Munduate said that one out of every 10 children in the state was staring at death, while stunting among children aged between 0 to five years was at an alarming 45.2 per cent.

“We are here to address a pressing crisis affecting millions of children in Zamfara and across Nigeria. Nearly 5.4 million under-five children in the North-West and North-East are suffering from acute malnutrition, with projections indicating an additional one million cases by April 2025,” she said.

According to her, the neonatal mortality rate in Zamfara is 42 per 1,000 live births.

Ms Munduate said that only 21.5 per cent of pregnant women attended at least four antenatal visits, and institutional deliveries stood at a mere 15 per cent.

“With a shocking 62,000 pregnant women, only 13 per cent of the total have access to skilled birth attendants. Immunisation rates remain critically low, with Penta 3 coverage at just 9.6 per cent,” she said.

The UNICEF representative further disclosed that over 700,000 children – 62 per cent were out of school, and 60 per cent of girls were subjected to child marriage, perpetuating the cycle of poverty.

She also mentioned that birth registration was low, at only 31.4 per cent, leaving many children invisible and vulnerable.

“The crisis in Zamfara is a reflection of a larger, national challenge of the broader status of children in Nigeria. Nigeria has over 110 million children, yet 40 per cent of those under five are stunted,” the UNICEF official said.

She said only 57 per cent of children under five had been registered, while 2.1 million children had never been vaccinated. Ms Munduate said that one in every four children was out of school, and three in every four lacked foundational skills.

She explained that 47 per cent of children lived in income-poor households, while 67 per cent experienced multidimensional poverty. Ms Munduate said that to address the challenges across Nigeria’s most vulnerable states, including Sokoto, Zamfara, and Katsina, over $250 million in funds was required.

“More than $100 million is needed for Sokoto, Zamfara, and Katsina alone to provide vital services in nutrition, health, WASH, child protection, and education. In Zamfara, we are intending to treat 400,000 under-five children suffering from Severe Acute Malnutrition.

“200,000 additional children in the North-West will require Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food in 2025, compared to 2024. Over 300,000 children in Sokoto and Zamfara need measles vaccinations, while two million vulnerable people in the two states require access to medical treatment and counselling on nutritious diets.

“We urged the government of the two states to effectively address these challenges. We also urge governments at all levels to expand healthcare services and strengthen community health programmes,” she said.

The UNICEF representative called on the government to scale up nutrition interventions and promote child spacing initiatives to tackle the underlying challenge of rapid population growth.

“Integrate nutrition into primary healthcare services, promote inclusive education and improve school infrastructure. Government must enhance routine immunisation to protect children from preventable diseases.

“The situation demands immediate action, collaboration, and commitment,” she said.

(NAN)