By Franca Ofili
The Federal Government has concluded the training of 60 health workers on nutrition to enhance optimal maternal, infant and young child nutrition communication.
Mrs Ladidi Bako-Aiyegbusi, Director and Head of Nutrition Division, Federal Ministry of Health, said this during the closing ceremony of the eight-day training, on Monday in Maiduguri, Borno.
Bako-Aiyegbusi said that the state was the last to be trained on nutrition.
“It is good news for us that we are concluding the 6th level training of trainers for maternal infant and young child nutrition,” she said.
According to her, the eight-day capacity building exercise for health workers was to enhance optimal Maternal, Infant and Young Child Nutrition (MIYCN) in the country.
The director said that the training was aimed at increasing quality and cost-effective nutrition services for pregnant and lactating women, adolescent girls and children under five years of age.
She said the project, funded by the World Bank at the tune of 232 million dollars in partnership with the Federal Government, was implementing a five-year nutrition programme tagged, “Accelerating Nutrition Results in Nigeria.”
Bako-Aiyegbusi said that the project was to increase quality and cost-effective nutrition services for pregnant and lactating women, adolescent girls, and children under five years of age.
She said that the objective of MIYCM course was to provide basic training on maternal Infant and Young Child Nutrition for those who care for mothers and young children (0-59 months).
According to her, the training will provide participants up to date information on MIYCN best practices based on its policy, strategy and guidelines.
She said MIYCN course would also help to maximise the impacts on child growth and micronutrient status by focusing on maternal nutrition, delivery practices, and improved infant and young child feeding.
Bako-Aiyegbusi emphasised that nutrition was in the front burner because people were bothered about the poor indices of nutrition in the country.
She identified poor knowledge as the cause of poor nutrition in the country.
“We have realised that the key thing that is leading to the poor indices of nutrition is poor knowledge of individual households in the communities on healthy feeding practices.”
Bako-Aiyegbusi said that the project was also ready to support the step down for the front line secondary facility workers on two conditions.
According to her, first the state will present a report on the state level training that was just concluded.
She said that the second was to write a letter signed by the Commissioner to the Coordinating Minister of Health stating that the state wanted secondary facility training to take place.
The director appreciated the state team for their support to carryout successful training on nutrition and urged them to start planning for the step down training at the primary facilities.
According to her, the Federal Government will support two more trainings with 120 service providers from the secondary facilities.
“Thereafter, we will want the state to be supported by their respective partners to do step down at the primary level.
“In addition with support from the partners, the Federal Government will support the state to train health workers from selected basic health care designated centres,” she said
In his speech, Mr Umar Shettima, Deputy Coordinator, Nursing Services, Hospital Management Board, Borno State said that the training would be stepped down to the primary health care facilities.
Shettima said that the participants would not only be responsive but responsible at all levels to ensure that
issue of malnutrition was addressed
“On behalf of the participants, I want to say that today is a very special day for us in Borno State and our journey knows no bound.
“I want to assure you; that we shall not only be responsive but responsible at all times in order to succeed.
“Everything that the participants learnt will be used positively at the grassroots.
“As participants we shall do our best and my team will not fail in Borno state,” he said.
Also, Mrs Habiba Saidu, Deputy Incident Manager, Polio said they would ensure that mothers in the state practiced proper nutrition.
Saidu appreciated the organisers for ensuring that the training was carried out in the state.
According to her, MIYCN has come to stay in the state as they will ensure that every household practice proper nutrition with locally made products.
“I want to assure you that everything we learnt will be step down to the local government areas.
“We learnt a lot of innovation, before now we taught we know everything but with this training, we have learnt lot of skills that will enable us address malnutrition in the state,” she said.
Saidu promised to ensure that mothers would embrace good nutritional practices. (NAN)