UNICEF, EU Train Journalists In Fight Against Severe Malnutrition Across 3 Northeastern State
By Sani Gazas Chinade, Damaturu
The UNICEF, in collaboration with the European Union-funded grant, trains journalists in the fight against severe malnutrition across three Northeastern states of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe (BAY States), health officials have confirmed this.
The one-day media dialogue held at the Sand Dune Hotel hall in Damaturu the Yobe state capital on Monday, 23th March, 2026, brought together some journalists from three northeastern states, aimed at enhancing their understanding of how to cover sensitive issues involving children malnutrition.
The particular event brought together journalists from the three north east states in Damaturu to assess progress following tours of key health facilities and a medical warehouse respectively.
Part of the dialogue was a field trip to Gwange Primary Health Care Center, where health workers demonstrated the use of Mid-Upper Arm Circumference (MUAC) tapes for screening children with acute malnutrition. Officials at the Mairi Primary Health Care Center showcased appetite testing protocols used to determine eligibility for outpatient care.
After that, the team of journalists led by the Hadiza Maina Adamu, the Yobe state nutrition officer’s visit to a medical warehouse revealed a stock of over 3,264 cartons of Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF), a critical supply used to treat malnourished children respectively.
Speaking via Zoom during the dialogue, UNICEF Nutrition Manager, Joseph Senesie noted that while the lean season, spanning May to September, typically leads to a rise in acute malnutrition cases, early indications suggest stability.
Joseph Senasie also expressed hope that this year’s figures would not surpass previous levels, crediting EU support for enabling treatment for over 40,000 children in past intervention cycles respectively.
In her speech, the Yobe State Nutritional Officer, Hadiza Maina Adamu provided an overview of the current situation, stating that the state is in Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) Phase 3, indicating a serious level of food insecurity.
Hadiza noted that Global Acute Malnutrition (GAM) stands at 10.8% according to 2025 surveillance data, an improvement from 14% in earlier years, though the rate remains critical.
According to her, since 2010, treatment services have expanded significantly to include 306 Outpatient Therapeutic Programme (OTP) sites, stabilization centers, and 120 Targeted Supplementary Feeding Programme (TSFP) sites.
During his paper presentation, Dr. Babagana Kundi Machina, the Executive Secretary of the Yobe State Primary Health Care Board, emphasized that the EU grant has been instrumental in ensuring an uninterrupted supply of therapeutic food and milk, facilitating sustained treatment and community-based screening across the state at large.
Stakeholders described the coordinated effort among UNICEF, the European Union Humanitarian Aid, and the BAY State governments as essential to sustaining life-saving nutrition support amidst ongoing complex humanitarian challenges respectively.
