UNICEF Expresses Concern Over Low Iron and Folic Acid Supplement Intake in Bauchi State

In a worrying development, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has expressed concern over the low intake of iron and folic acid supplements by pregnant women in Bauchi State, Nigeria. According to UNICEF’s Nutrition Specialist, Philomena Irene, only 23 percent of the 381,364 pregnant women in the state receive these critical supplements, which are essential to reduce the risks of low birth weight, maternal anemia, and iron deficiency.

Irene made this revelation during a one-day inception meeting focused on scaling up Multiple Micronutrient Supplements (MMS) for pregnant women. The meeting aimed to launch the scale-up of MMS, with the goal of improving pregnancy outcomes in Bauchi State.

Under the new initiative, Bauchi State has received 134,280 bottles of MMS, with additional supplies expected as the project progresses. UNICEF will collaborate with the Bauchi State Government to ensure MMS is incorporated into the state’s annual procurement plans, with funds allocated through the Child Nutrition Fund.

The life-saving initiative is funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and is part of a larger effort to reduce anemia among pregnant women in Nigeria. The goal is to reduce anemia by 40 percent by 2025 and contribute to the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) of reducing anemia among pregnant women by 50 percent by 2030.

The initiative will also strengthen antenatal care platforms, enabling the delivery of high-impact maternal nutrition interventions across the state. Additionally, it will build the capacity of health workers to accurately forecast and manage MMS distribution to pregnant women using the Logistics Health Management Information System (LHIMS) and DHIS 2 platforms.

UNICEF has assured that it will continue to support the Bauchi State Government in mitigating anemia in pregnancy and extending MMS coverage to all pregnant women in the state.