Kano warns against sale of therapeutic baby food

The Kano State Government has warned residents against the diversion and sale of Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF), saying the product is strictly for treating children suffering from severe acute malnutrition.

The Commissioner for Health, Dr Abubakar Yusuf, gave the warning while briefing journalists on the administration’s achievements in the health sector over the past three years.

He said anyone found selling the therapeutic food would be prosecuted, stressing that the product was procured with public funds to save the lives of vulnerable children.

Dr Yusuf disclosed that the state government inherited a near-collapse of malnutrition intervention services when it assumed office in 2023, with both RUTF supplies and Centres for Integrated Management of Acute Malnutrition (CIMAM) virtually non-existent.

He said Governor Abba Yusuf subsequently approved the revival of the programme, leading to the establishment of 95 CIMAM centres across the state.

According to the commissioner, the governor also approved the release of N500 million to UNICEF in November 2024 for the procurement of RUTF, an amount matched by the agency, resulting in the purchase of therapeutic food worth N1 billion.

He noted that the supplies have been distributed free of charge since 2025 and urged the public to report any cases of diversion or illegal sale to security agencies.

“RUTF is not for sale. If anyone is selling it, it is stolen government property and should be reported immediately,” he said.

The commissioner also highlighted efforts by the state government to tackle maternal and newborn mortality.

He said Kano had one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the country, with 1,026 women dying for every 100,000 deliveries when the administration came into office.

To address the challenge, he said the government had introduced several interventions, including the procurement of 484 mini ambulances—one for each ward in the state—to transport pregnant women to healthcare facilities during emergencies.

Dr Yusuf added that 1,018 community-based health workers had been recruited to provide maternal and child healthcare services at the grassroots level, while 320 Primary Healthcare Centres had been rehabilitated and equipped.

He further disclosed that neonatal corners had been established in health facilities to provide immediate care for newborns, while free oxygen services had been introduced in public hospitals to reduce preventable deaths among women and children.