Gombe State Government, in partnership with UNICEF, has launched a renewed statewide campaign to tackle the worsening crisis of child malnutrition, followingv grim revelations from the 2024 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) and the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS).

The initiative was spotlighted during a two-day capacity-building workshop on advocacy for improved nutrition, organized by the Gombe State Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning.

Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Salihu Baba Alkali, while addressing participants, sounded the alarm over the state’s persistently high rates of child stunting, wasting, micronutrient deficiencies, and poverty.

“The statistics are not good, and if nothing is done, the situation will become more complicated,” Alkali warned. “That’s why we’re working with UNICEF and other key stakeholders to find sustainable, long-term solutions.”

He noted that the Ministry is collaborating with NGOs, donor agencies, and development partners to secure both funding and technical assistance, emphasizing that addressing malnutrition is central to the state’s development agenda.

Alkali praised Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya’s commitment to the issue, revealing that the 2025 state budget has significantly increased allocations for nutrition-focused programs. He added that future budgets would reflect even deeper commitment to reversing malnutrition trends.

Recognizing the localized nature of the crisis, the state government is now working directly with all 11 local government chairmen, who have pledged to take responsibility for improving nutrition within their domains.

The workshop served as a platform for engagement among stakeholders, government officials, development partners, and civil society organizations, with the shared goal of coordinating a robust response to the state’s nutrition emergency.