A humanitarian organisation, Medecins Sans Frontiers (MSF), has stated that it is witnessing an unprecedented surge in admissions for malnutrition in Bauchi State.
MSF, however, stated that it has been rapidly scaling up the response in the area as well as increasing bed capacity at the inpatient therapeutic feeding centre (ITFC) in Ganjuwa LGA.
MSF added that “we are launching integrated community care management plus (iCCM) to train identified personnel in the community to diagnose and treat malnutrition at an early stage.”
“Bauchi, along with the majority of Northern Nigeria, is facing a malnutrition crisis. Across Nigeria, MSF teams have seen rates of malnutrition admissions rise on average by 40% from the same period last year,” it added.
It stated that “in Bauchi, 5,787 and 17,223 children were admitted to our ITFC and three local ambulatory therapeutic feeding centres (ATFCs), which support malnourished children before they need to be admitted to an inpatient hospital.”
According to MSF, “between January and June 2024, the number of admissions is 127% and 123% higher than during the same period in 2023, respectively.”
“We are very concerned by the catastrophic increase in malnutrition admissions we have seen in Bauchi in the first half of 2024. Although there may be many factors compounding this increase in admissions, the numbers we are seeing are incredibly high,” it stated.
It further stated that “we are only just entering the peak season for malnutrition, and our facilities are over capacity and have to expand,” Rabi Adamou stated.
MSF has been supporting the local health system in Bauchi State since 2012 by responding to outbreaks of diseases such as cholera, diphtheria, and Lassa fever, providing medical care, training medical staff, and conducting health promotion activities amongst the community.
Since 2022, MSF has been responding to the huge numbers of children suffering from malnutrition and currently runs a 250-bed ITFC and an inpatient paediatric department (IPD) in Kafin Madaki General Hospital.
MSF also operates in three ATFCs: Kafin Madaki, Kafin Liman and Miya primary healthcare centres.
In addition, new community-level activities are planned. Integrated Community Case Management (iCCM/iCCM+), which aims to expand on the existing community approach and include the treatment of malnutrition at a community level. This will be piloted in Eight villages in Miya, starting in mid-July.
MSF added malnutrition to the conventional iCCM activities which include malaria, diarrhoea, and malnutrition diagnosis, to respond to the increasing number of admissions for malnutrition in the region.
“Given the multifaceted causes of malnutrition, it is imperative that the response be equally comprehensive and span multiple sectors. This includes not only treatment but also preventative measures and livelihood enhancements. Recognising the geographically widespread nature of the needs, the response must mirror this extent, ensuring a broad and multidisciplinary approach,” said Nathalie Avril, Nutrition Advisor, MSF
The ‘Parent MUAC’ (mid-upper arm circumference) activity will also be implemented in Bauchi State. This activity is to train the parents and caretakers of the children to use the MUAC at home to monitor and detect malnutrition at an early stage before it develops into severe cases.
“Despite the collective efforts, many challenges remain, like limited access to healthcare, a lack of qualified medical staff in health facilities, the provision of medications, and the readiness to use therapeutic foods, which are essential to treating children with malnutrition.
“It is crucial that Bauchi state representatives and national and international stakeholders work together and expand the response to prevent further increases in numbers in the years to come.” Rabi Adamou, project coordinator for Bauchi, stressed.
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