By Adamu IMAM, Bauchi
UNICEF Interacts with Dandore, Commend Efforts to Defeat Malnutrition
By Adamu IMAM, Bauchi
The Deputy Country Representative Dr. Rownak Khan made the commendation after interactions with members of the community as part her field visit to checkmate how communities strategize using local food and other means in the fight against the malnutrition among women and children in their own way.
Khan maintained that UNICEF always committed to provide support and guidance to people to ensure they adopt and adapt hygiene practices in their houses and the entire environment for the common objectives.
" as I have seen the community leaders they do take care of their community members I have seen a lot they do are immunizing their children they also have toilets in their houses they are doing a lot kitchen garden to they are up to make nutritious food from the local sources as well"
"So I think this is a very good example of how the community can be self-sufficient, you see is happening that the malnutrition is overall condition as well, so I hope other communities in Nigeria would also follow their ways"
"Now the communities and government they have to take their ownership of how they actually provide support to their own communities, we are here we will provide guidance but mainly with technical support" she stressed.
While Malam Umar Isah Dandore a washcom chairman expressed satisfaction with the kind of encouragement always given by the UNICEF to clear off our environment and also the areas of open difecation and we always do our best to clean the community as you can see now,
Well in the area of pregnant women "we are sensitizing them at all times that they should go for antenatal to hospitals, with constant supervision from the health inspectors they usually come here, they do take record to ensure that everything is being done, they way it should be"
"And now we have accelerated the activities for sustainability because of the huge encouragement and guidance from the UNICEF as well, I never expect such commitment from them at our Dandore community, is a welcome development indeed"
"before we use to take it for granted, but now is a work over on the fight against malnutrition here with the support of UNICEF in our Dandore community and
Moreso, one of the village community mobilizer VCM Indo Yakubu shared her perspective, while going round the community as part of their responsibility in the fight against the scourge.
"We always collaborate with the family members and sensitize them on the need to maintain hygiene practices, and when we see their children we do call their attention, because they don't know when diseases would breakout"
"so part of the challenges some people use to pursue us out started shouting at us, but we calm down and talk to them in a polite ways to understand, and they accepted all we told them, that is the success story", she maintained.
"We are better enlighten and educated ever before as a mother i do try as much as i can to observe the practice of hygiene behavior and eat our locally made food that are readily available without too much cost,
we are always making sure we do as they told us to do, we never disobey what we were told to do by the health officials and community mobilizers, especially with this visit by UNICEF officials to Dandore community is a moral booster to continue fight against this malnutrition in our community"
"the pregnant and nursing mothers, honestly are excited by seeing this people in our midst, that gives us hope and zeal to do more, so that we would be healthier than before, we really thanked UNICEF for their guidance and support at all times", she emphasized.
Tags:
HEALTHCARE