By: Danjuma Attah, Gombe
The Gombe State chapter of the Civil Society Scaling Up Nutrition in Nigeria (CS-SUNN) has called for the support of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and Jama’atil Nasral Islam (JNI) in fighting malnutrition.
The advocacy to the two religious leaders is to canvass for their support in propelling the crusade against malnutrition in the state.
Gombe State Coordinator of CS-SUNN, Mrs Comfort Mukallo, along with her team during the advocacy visit to both religious leaders separately, explained the important roles they play in achieving success in the fight against malnutrition.
According to her, as religious leaders, they are strategic channels in reaching out to the public with the message, considering their closeness to their followers.
She also explained that through advocacy, the coalition pushes for extension and paid maternity leave from four to six Months, adequate budgeting and timely release of funds for nutrition activities across line ministries, departments and agencies.
She said CS-SUNN also conducts sensitisation on the importance of exclusive breastfeeding, household training on how to use locally available food for young children and hygiene among others which are targeted as preventive rather than curative measures to malnutrition.
In their responses, the two leaders, Rev. Father Joseph Alphonsus, State CAN Chairman and Alhaji Saleh Danburam, State Secretary of JNI, made commitments towards supporting the fight against malnutrition in the State.
They both acknowledged that malnutrition is deadly and capable of hindering both human and societal development stressing that the current hard economy is capable is spiking up malnutrition among family members.
They called on Governments at different levels to proffer solutions to the menace. They also commended members of the coalition for dedicating themselves to the fight and promised to keep speaking to their followers at Churches and Mosques.
