By Emamuzo Iboma
Within a year, 300,000 undernourished children in seven northern Nigerian states were successfully treated, according to Medecins Sans Frontieres (Doctors Without Borders).
During a briefing, Kebbi State Project Coordinator Huggins Madondo announced this milestone and highlighted MSF’s work in Sokoto, Kebbi, Kano, Bauchi, Katsina, Jigawa, and Zamfara, where vulnerable children have received free medical care.
Madondo emphasized the significance of strong local stakeholders to sustain the program and commended state governments, including Kebbi, for their support in providing facilities and skilled medical personnel.
MSF treats undernourished children in Kebbi using 400 beds, 250 at Mayama and 40 at Sir Yahyah Memorial Hospital in Birnin Kebbi. With a total of 44,447 children treated in Kebbi during the height of the crisis last year, the organization has managed 6,434 patients for immediate treatment since January.
MSF has provided care to 300,000 children in seven states, 75,000 of whom were inpatients and the remainder of whom were treated in outpatient clinics. One of the states with the highest rates of undernourished children is still Kebbi.
Madondo outlined some of the difficulties encountered, such as the influx of undernourished children from nearby nations such as the Benin Republic, security concerns, challenging terrain, and transportation obstacles. Poor sanitation and unclean water sources can have a detrimental effect on treatment results, he said.
He emphasized that because MSF does not receive funding from governments or international organizations, they are entirely dependent on private donors to provide these services at no cost. In order to guarantee that children have access to clean water after discharge, MSF also donates boreholes to areas without access to clean water.
Madondo came to the conclusion that, in spite of obstacles, MSF is dedicated to preventing malnutrition and saving lives in the northern states of Nigeria.
