From Femi Oyelola, Kaduna
About 1.5 million people in Kaduna State have benefited from the nutritional support intervention offered through the Accelerating Nutrition Results in Nigeria (ANRiN) project and implemented by the Society for Family Health (SFH) in the state.
This was disclosed during the ANRIN Project dissemination held in Kaduna, organized by the State Ministry of Health and SFH programme.
Managing Director of SFH, Dr. Omokhudu Idogho, said the initiative aims to confront the persistent challenge of malnutrition in Nigeria.
According to him, with the support of the World Bank, the initiative was implemented in 12 high-burden states, including Kaduna, to increase the utilization of quality, cost-effective nutrition services.
Represented by Abdul Samad Salihu, Chief of Party SFH, Dr. Idogho noted that over the years, their efforts have contributed to reducing chronic malnutrition, maternal and child mortality rates, and improving broader development indicators such as school completion rates and labor force productivity.
“Today, we celebrate a project that has delivered life-saving interventions through an integrated approach, addressing maternal, infant, and young child nutrition, adolescent health, and family planning.
“ We have made remarkable strides in Kaduna State, reaching over 1.5 million beneficiaries—pregnant women, adolescent girls, and children under five—through over 9.4 million service contacts”, he said.
He further added that the achievement represents 108% of their performance target and is a testament to the dedication, innovation, and resilience of all those involved.
He explained that the key to this success has been the PUSH framework—plan, utilize, support, and harmonize—which has guided their efforts to optimize planning, resource utilization, and collaboration for sustainability.
Idogho explained that through house-to-house visits, facility-based services, and community outreaches, they delivered essential commodities such as micronutrient powders, iron and folic acid tablets, vitamin A supplements, and family planning services to those who needed them most.
He said the multifaceted approach ensured that every service delivery channel was leveraged to maximize impact, adding that SFH is always committed to supporting all states to progressively expand access to essential nutrition services as part of their journey toward universal health coverage.
He expressed pride in supporting Kaduna State’s efforts to increase access to essential nutrition services for all people and to the affordable, safe, healthy, and sustainable nutrients they need to live full and healthy lives.
In her remarks, the Kaduna state programme manager of ANRiN, Dr. Zainab Mohamed -Idris, said the SFH proudly announces the successful completion of the ANRiN project, a transformative initiative addressing malnutrition and adolescent health in Kaduna state.
She added that over the project’s duration, SFH reached 1,264,895 beneficiaries, delivering over 6.2 million nutrition and adolescent health services, surpassing the initial target of 5.7 million services by an impressive 108%.
The ANRiN project, implemented across 23 Local Government Areas of Kaduna State, focused on reducing chronic malnutrition and improving maternal and child health outcomes through high-impact interventions.
She adds: “These included maternal nutrition counseling, vitamin A supplementation, deworming, and adolescent contraceptive services.”
She disclosed that through ANRiN, they have significantly improved health and nutrition outcomes for children under five, adolescent girls, and pregnant and lactating mothers.
She added that 6,267,880 services were delivered over three years, including vitamin A supplementation, deworming, iron-folic acid tablets, and contraceptive services.
She highlighted their achievements to include the: “ Establishment of 46 health clubs in schools to promote nutrition education and menstrual hygiene.
“Delivery of tailored interventions like the Safe Space Initiative, empowering married adolescent girls with health education, life skills, and family planning services.
“Effective grievance redress mechanisms, with 97% of reported issues resolved to ensure accountability and community trust.”
The project also responded to emerging challenges, including insecurity and the drone strike in Tudun Biri, where SFH collaborated with government partners to provide emergency nutrition support, food supplies, and economic empowerment initiatives.
SFH implemented the PUSH framework – Plan, Utilise, Support, and Harmonise – to drive efficiency and sustainability, ensuring alignment with local health systems. Through innovative research and operational learnings shared at national and international conferences, ANRiN has laid a strong foundation for future health and nutrition programming.
As the project concludes, SFH called on government stakeholders and partners to sustain the gains by integrating successful strategies into state and community health systems.
Also speaking, the state commissioner for health, Umma Kalto-Ahmed, said the state has made a substantial strive towards better health outcomes for the people of the state.
She said the project has played an important role in addressing malnutrition and improving the lives of thousands of families across the state.
She added that through the community-based interventions radio program and capacity building, the project has strengthened its fight against malnutrition and ensured access to essential nutrition services.
The commissioner said the efforts were yielding remarkable results.
According to her, in the recent national democratic and Health Survey (NDHS), the state achieved a 15.4 percent reduction in stunting among children 0-5 years old.
“ In 2018, the stunting rate stood at 48.1 percent .today we celebrate the significant progress that has brought this figure down to 40.7 percent in 2024.
“ This achievement is not just a statistic; it represents real life, real children, and real families who now have been possible without the commitment and hard work of the key players”, Kalto-Ahmed stated.
She said the closing of the project is not for the state to lose sight of the challenges that remain; malnutrition continues to be a threat, and it is encouraging that we consolidate the gains made under the project and ensure sustainability by strengthening systems, promoting accountability, and standing up with proven interventions.
She added:”Together, we can build a healthier, stronger Kaduna state where every child has the opportunity to grow, thrive, and contribute to our shared property.
“ I would like to especially thank the ARIN project manager and her dedicated team for their relentless effort in driving this project to success. Your teamwork has made a significant impact on the nutritional outcomes in the state.”
She also appreciated development partners, including the World Bank, our implementing agencies, civil society organizations, and the front-line health workers who have worked tirelessly across communities.
