Between January and July 2025, Kano State record serious gbege as no fewer than 469 children lose their lives because of malnutrition. This one no be movie, na real life statistics wey shock even people wey don see plenty things. According to experts, food dey, but correct nutrition still dey scarce for many homes.
Professor Ruqayya Aliyu Yusuf from Bayero University Kano (BUK) yarn this matter while she dey present paper for media training on how behaviour change fit help reduce malnutrition for Kano. She explain say stunting don affect about 51.9% of children for the state — meaning say more than half of Kano pikin dem no dey grow well as dem suppose.
She add say despite Nigeria dey shine small for Global Nutrition Index, the reality for ground no too sweet. Poverty, wrong feeding habit, food insecurity and weak health information still dey push malnutrition higher like fuel for fire.
UNICEF Talk Am Clear: Kano Pikin Dem Dey Worst Pass Average
Using 2025 UNICEF report, Professor Yusuf explain say about 40% of Nigerian children under five dey stunted nationwide, but Kano own don pass that level sharply with 51.9%. As dem dey talk am for street: “Kano don overtake national average, no be race wey person suppose win.”
The matter pain more because stunting no be just height problem. E dey affect brain development, immunity, and future productivity of the child. In short, na long-term gbege wey fit follow pikin enter adulthood if nothing change.
Experts talk say many parents no get correct information on balanced diet, while some no even get money to buy nutritious food. So even when food dey table, nutrition fit still dey missing like fuel for generator.
Underweight Pikin Plenty, Vitamin A Still Dey Hide-and-Seek
Crop scientist Amina Ado Yahaya come add more pepper to the gist. She reveal say Kano get the highest number of underweight children under five for Nigeria — about 42.6%. According to her, this one na red flag wey no suppose dey ignored.
She recommend homestead vegetable gardening, make families dey grow small vegetables for house. E no cost much, but e fit improve nutrition well well. As dem dey say, “small garden fit save big hospital bill.”
Yahaya also warn say Vitamin A deficiency still dey worry many children for Kano. The deficiency fit cause childhood blindness and make common sickness like measles and diarrhoea turn to serious problem. Her message clear: nutrition no be luxury, na survival package.
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