The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has unveiled a liquid-based supplement to enhance child nutrition and stem malnutrition in Nigeria.

Philomena Irene, the nutrition specialist at the UNICEF field office in Bauchi, stated this on Thursday in Gombe at a two-day media dialogue on Age-Appropriate Complementary Feeding for Children.

Ms Irene said the project was being implemented in Dukku, Kaltungo and Kwami local government areas of Gombe State under the UNICEF’s Progressive Action on Resilient System Through Innovation and Partnership (PARSNIP) project.

She said the project focused on enhancing child nutrients through liquid-based supplements rich in nutrients, protein, minerals, and vitamins.

“It is for children under six to 23 months by adding it to their food. It is formulated for children living in severe food poverty.

“It has shown that these children living in severe food poverty can’t even have a meal in a day rich with five food groups, which is the minimum.

“The idea is, if you give them one sachet of the commodity, they have taken one meal a day that is nutrient-dense, which contains 100 to 120 calories a day.

“It has protein, carbohydrates, minerals and vitamins,” she said.

According to her, UNICEF is working with state governments to create an environment that will strengthen the health system and improve diet practices.

The exercise was attended by media practitioners drawn from Adamawa, Bauchi, Gombe, Plateau and Taraba. 

(NAN)