Supplements meant for malnourished children are being diverted and sold in Sokoto – UNICEF

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) on Wednesday, August 21, expressed concerns about the alleged diversion of nutrition supplements in some communities in Sokoto State.

UNICEF’s Chief of Field Office in charge of Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara states, Micheal Juma, addressed the issue during the quarterly policymakers’ meeting in Sokoto.

UNICEF organised the meeting in collaboration with the Sokoto State Government to discuss activities, successes, and challenges and offer solutions to lingering challenges.

Mr Juma, who was represented by Abraham Mahama, stated that the nutrition supplements were provided by donors and distributed to healthcare centres in different communities aimed at enhancing the lives of malnourished children.

He lamented that some bad elements in the system connived with traders and sold the supplements to unintended persons.

He added that the supplements were openly sold in markets.

During an investigation at the designated stores, UNICEF discovered that personnel stocked cartons of supplements with stones and other objects to cover their nefarious acts, he said.

Mr Juma urged community members and stakeholders in the healthcare sector to intensify vigilance against the diversion of prepared nutrition supplements in the state.

He also urged the Sokoto government to join other states in appointing a Statistician General who would fastrack data collection, prudence, preservation and dissemination in line with modern trends.

Juma pointed out that most of the state’s key indicators, such as antenatal care, immunisation, mortality rates, healthcare-seeking behaviours, and social behavioural change, showed very poor performance.

He added that indices on healthcare Infrastructure, power and water supply, competent healthcare workers, and client-untrusting service providers were not encouraging in the state.