Doctors Without Borders, also known as Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), said that, there was an unprecedented increase in Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) admission, where about 400 children were on admission on a particular day in Kebbi state.
It’s said, it had recorded a 74.1 per cent increase in the admission of malnourished children into its facilities across Kebbi from January to June, 2025.
Dr Hamza Bello, a Senior Medical Doctor working with the NGO, disclosed this while interacting with Journalists at Maiyama Inpatient Therapeutic Feeding Centre (ITFC), Maiyama Local Government Area of Kebbi.
He stated that, from January to May this year, 24,784 children were admitted in Inpatient Therapeutic Feeding Centers (ITFCs), while 107,461 were treated in Outpatient Therapeutic Programmes (OTPs), indicating 13 percent increase compared to 2024
The Medical Expert, observed that some patients had to travel 100 kilometres to access services, adding that MSF was overwhelmed, hence the need for urgent multi actors support.
Dr. Bello stressed the need for Kebbi state government to ensure adequate provision of Ready to Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) saying, it is a special type of food designed to treat severe acute malnutrition in children.
He advocated for the scaling up of preventive and curative nutrition efforts, stronger Primary Health Care (PHC), vaccination, malaria control and community based intervention with government and donor support.
Dr. Bello also called on authorities and actors to prioritize infant and young child feeding (IYCF), nutrition, counselling and access to nutritious food and expedite 774 nutrition initiative with resources and mobile resources for both immediate and long term interventions.
Malama Shamsiya Muhammad Sani from Aliero in Aliero Local Government Area and Malama Habiba Salihu from Jandutse village in Jega Local Government Area of the state said, the infants were in critical condition due to malnutrition, they almost lost hope in their survival.
They explained that on visiting the MSF facility at Maiyama, they were not only admitted and treated free of charge but also provided with free three square meals, soap, detergent and cups for the whole of their stay in the hospital.
They thanked MSF and urged to sustain its humanitarian efforts with a view to saving more children’s lives in the state.