UNICEF urges Imo State councils to fund child nutrition

UNICEF has called on local government council executives in Imo State, Nigeria, to allocate a portion of their monthly funds toward child nutrition. The appeal was made during a stakeholders’ meeting in Owerri focused on resource mobilisation and Multiple Micronutrient Supplementation (MMS) to improve maternal and child health.

Organised by UNICEF and the Imo State Government in partnership with the Gates Foundation, the meeting aimed to encourage the state to take ownership of nutrition policies. UNICEF officials urged the government to commit to the Child Nutrition Fund and scale up MMS for pregnant women. In response, the State Ministry of Health indicated it would provide the necessary policy direction and coordination to ensure these nutritional supplements reach pregnant women across the state.