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HARDSHIP: Severe Malnutrition Rises By 51% In Northern Nigeria

Published

8 months ago

October 13, 2024

The International President of Médecins Sans Frontières, also known as Doctors Without Borders, Christos Christou, has said there is serious increase in the number of malnourished children in northern Nigeria.

Christou, who said this on Friday at a press briefing in Abuja after he visited Maiduguri, noted that between January and August this year, there had been a 51 per cent increase in admissions of children with severe a compared to the same period last year.

He said people in northern Nigeria had been through a lot with overwhelming levels of malnutrition, frequent outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases, and lack of medical facilities and medical personnel; compounded by continuous insecurity.

“During my visit to Maiduguri, I visited the hospitals and clinics where MSF works. We support the local healthcare system in tackling malaria and other diseases, as well as in providing access to maternity services. Recently, we had to launch a cholera treatment centre, after a cholera outbreak was officially declared. All this has happened in the background of a catastrophic malnutrition crisis.

“One of my colleagues, a Nigerian doctor who has been working with MSF for more than eight years, told me that this year is very different. Every year, he said, during this season, we see terrible numbers of malnourished children coming to the hospital in a severe condition. But this year, at a time when the peak is supposed to be over, the number of patients admitted to the hospital is not going down.

“Worse, the condition in which they arrive is even more severe than usual. Very often people don’t have access even to basic medical care where they live and do not have enough money or available transport. As a result, they reach to us too late,” he explained.

According to him, many organisations that were providing support in Maiduguri and other parts of the north have reduced their budgets or even stopped their operations.

He said, “For the past few years, MSF has seen a significant increase in the number of admissions for malnutrition. The numbers in 2022 and 2023 were already critically high. But between January to August this year, we have seen a 51 per cent increase in admissions of children with severe malnutrition, compared to the same period last year. Over the first eight months of this year, we have treated 52,725 children with severe malnutrition, a life-threatening condition, across the whole of northern Nigeria.”

Corroborating, a head of mission, MSF, Ahmad Bilal stated that in states where MSF is operational, there have been 200,000 admissions in ambulatory therapeutic feeding centres and 52,000 admissions from January to August compared to that of last year.

“With last year, the ATFCs admission increased by 50 per cent while the inpatient therapeutic feeding centres admission increased by 60 per cent. There was a time where we were putting two patients in one bed and this is a concern when we see that increase by over 50 per cent.”

News

Benue Crisis: I’m Happy Nigerians Rebuked You – VDM Slams Billionaire Kiddwaya For Donation Appeal

Published

2 hours ago

June 20, 2025

Editor

Social commentator and activist, VeryDarkMan has called out billionaire heir and reality star Kiddwaya for seeking public donations to support victims of the recent attack in Yelwata, Benue State.

Kiddwaya had shared a post on X (formerly Twitter), urging Nigerians to contribute funds for the affected community.

However, the post drew widespread criticism, leading him to delete it.

Reacting in a video also posted on X, VeryDarkMan condemned the move, questioning the sincerity of someone who is known for flaunting his wealth, now asking ordinary citizens for money.

“The first thing you could do, you just quickly do one write up next thing you go drop account number. How would you know what the Benue people need when you never go there. You just dey wherever you dey, write one nonsense letter come drop account,” he said.

The activist added, “I’m happy Nigerians rebuked you to the point wey you go delete am, e sweet my body. Because you na guy man wey like dey brag about your wealth. Every time you rub your wealth on people’s face, show say na you better pass every Nigerian.”

VeryDarkMan also cautioned NGOs against exploiting the crisis in Benue by raising funds for food items, arguing that the real issue is insecurity, not hunger.

“To every NGO in the country that might want to take advantage of the happenings in Benue State, the people of Benue are not hungry. You will collect money from government say una wan bring relief material una go bring rice beans garri, the people of Benue are not starving, food is not their problem, insecurity is,” he said.

He proposed that financial support should only be solicited if community leaders set up vigilante groups and receive approval from the Inspector General of Police to bear arms.

“If the community leaders of its local government can come out, set up a vigilante, write to the inspector general of police that they need arms, if the inspector general of police approves of arms, we go put account number online tell every Nigerian even if na 5 Naira contribute.

“This isn’t the time to talk and keep quiet, it is beyond that, everybody needs to play their part.”

News

VIDEO: Wike Promises Pay Rise After Band Sings In Chinese At Road Unveiling

Published

2 hours ago

June 20, 2025

Editor

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, on Thursday left many Nigerians amused after he publicly promised to increase the wages of his official music band during a project commissioning in Abuja.

Wike made the announcement while commissioning the newly completed collector road from Mabushi to the Judges’ Quarters in Katampe, a project executed by a Chinese construction firm.

Midway into the event, the band’s lead singer entertained the crowd with a hilarious twist, mimicking a song in what appeared to be ‘Chinese’, in a nod to the nationality of the contractors.

Impressed by their performance, the Minister announced that he would increase their wages.

“Now that the musician can sing in Chinese language, his fee will be increased,” the minister said, drawing laughter and applause from the crowd.

Shortly after his statement, the band broke into another tune, chanting, Agreement is agreement ooo, “Agreement is agreement ooo, Nysome Wike don talk am, Chinese people go see, Agreement is agreement ooo,” before ending with the phrase “Chi hu chan.”

https://twitter.com/i/status/1936079174038331767https://twitter.com/i/status/1936079174038331767

News

Anambra Directs Residents To Repaint Houses

Published

7 hours ago

June 20, 2025

Editor

The Anambra State Government has directed residents and occupants of dilapidated buildings defacing the environment in public view areas across the state to repaint their structures, adding that regulators will be embarking on field operations to enforce compliance beginning from July 1.

In a press statement released on Thursday, the state Commissioner for Environment, Dr Felix Odimegwu, said repainting of buildings with particular emphasis in Onitsha, Awka, Nkpor, Nnewi and Ekwuluobia areas, respectively, will commence with immediate effect with the aim of achieving a clean, beautiful and eco-friendly environment.

Odimegwu said concerned residents and corporate organisations in the areas mentioned are required to repaint their houses/buildings, especially those that have not been repainted in the last 10 years or buildings whose current paint is defacing the environment.

He said the exercise is aimed at strengthening the existing building structures, improving the aesthetic ambience, and the green space of the state as enshrined in the Anambra State Environmental Management, Protection and Administration Law 2024, Part 4 sec 79 (1-7).

The statement partly read, “Notice is hereby given to all residents and occupants of buildings which are in public view areas of the state with particular emphasis on Onitsha, Awka, Nkpor, Nnewil and Ekwuluobia respectively, that general house hold inspection on dilapidated and unpainted structures defacing the environment shall commence with immediate effect.

“This exercise is aimed at strengthening the existing building structures, improving the aesthetic ambience, and the green space of the state as enshrined in the Anambra State Environmental Management, Protection and Administration Law 2024, Part 4 sec 79 (1-7).

“Hence, residents are enjoined to fully maintain, repaint (if necessary) their residential and commercial premises which are in public view (anyaora) areas.”

He added that the Anambra State Environmental Management Protection and Administration Law 2024 provides the legal framework for beautification and aesthetic face-lifting of the state.

“Regulators will be embarking on field operations starting from July 1, 2025, for this particular purpose. Therefore, concerned individuals and corporate organisations within the purview as stated above are required to repaint their houses/buildings, especially those that have not been repainted in the last 10 years or buildings whose current paint is defacing the environment.

“A clean, beautiful and eco-friendly Anambra is possible if we join hands together to improve her aesthetic ambience,” the statement added.