Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna state has reaffirmed his commitment to addressing malnutrition, infant, and maternal mortality in line with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). He made this commitment during a meeting with a delegation from the United Nations International Children Fund (UNICEF) at the Sir Kashim Ibrahim House in Kaduna.

The governor commended UNICEF for its impactful interventions in the state, emphasizing the state government’s determination to collaborate with the organization to confront identified challenges and safeguard the lives of vulnerable citizens, especially in rural communities.

Highlighting the significant role of UNICEF in reducing maternal and child mortality, combating infectious diseases, and enhancing routine immunization across the state, Governor Sani underscored the pivotal role of primary healthcare in achieving sustainable development. He also stressed the state’s substantial allocation of funds towards healthcare in the recent budget, recognizing that a healthy society is fundamental to sustainable development.

With a focus on eradicating malnutrition, Governor Uba Sani expressed confidence in leveraging the expertise of the deputy governor and the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), both of whom are esteemed public health experts, to overcome the challenges of malnutrition in the state.

Regarding the pressing issue of out-of-school children, Governor Sani acknowledged the correlation between poverty and the prevalence of out-of-school children. He emphasized the state government’s commitment to addressing this by offering free primary and secondary school education, emphasizing the need to mitigate poverty in rural areas to effectively tackle this issue.

The Governor also extended gratitude to the UNICEF delegation for their condolences following the recent drone bomb attack at Tudun Biri Community, Igabi Local Government Area.

In response, the deputy representative of UNICEF Nigeria, Rownak Khan, expressed concerns over the low rate of birth registration, hindering the process of immunization for more than half of the children born in the state. She also highlighted the troubling statistics showing that approximately 60% of the state’s children suffer from malnutrition.

Despite these challenges, Ms. Khan expressed optimism about the political will and the assurances given by the state government to collaborate closely with UNICEF in achieving their shared goals across all 23 local government areas of the state.