By Diana Omueza

The African Youth Growth Foundation (AYGF) says three million persons in 16 Local Government Areas in Katsina State have benefitted from the World Bank Accelerating Nutrition Results in Nigeria (ANRiN) project.

Dr Arome Salifu, Executive Director of AYGF, said this at the Katsina ANRIN stakeholders engagement and project close out ceremony in Abuja.

Salifu said that the foundation was the implementing partner of the World Bank-funded tripartite project that has impacted no fewer than three million Katsina indigenes and residents.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the project is between the Federal Government, through the Federal Ministry of Health, and the Katsina State Government through the State Ministry of Health.

“The AYGF implemented the ANRIN project across 16 Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Katsina, where we were able to deploy essential nutritional services across the LGAs

“The project targeted children under five years of age, lactating and nursing mothers as well as expectant mothers.

“Cumulatively, we were able to deliver the services to well over 1.7 million beneficiaries in 16 LGAs and over 4.5 million services within one and a half year,” he said.

Salifu said that the medical packages distributed included folic acid, vitamin A, albendazole, and micronutrient powder.

He said that counselling services were also provided to the critical targets in the state

He commended Katsina State Governor, Dikko Radda, the state’s ministry of health, the commissioner, the project implementation unit and other stakeholders for the success of the project.

Mr Musa Adamu, Katsina State Commissioner of Health, lauded the impact of the project in addressing the socio-economic aspect of the lives of Katsina people.

According to Adamu, with the effect of global warming, environmental degradation, and climate change on communities, this kind of stakeholders’ engagement is needed to proffer proactive measures.

He said that the state government remained committed to building a secured future for the people.

“The most important aspect of the government is people. This project concentrated on building the next generation because we need to have a very healthy generation coming on board,” he said.

Dr Umar Bello, the Project Coordinator, said that the project targeted prevention of malnutrition among children under five, pregnant women and lactating mothers. (NAN)

Edited by Kadiri Abdulrahman