Radda Launches Malnutrition Centres in Katsina, Warns Against Diversion of Therapeutic Food

Katsina State has rolled out a major intervention against child malnutrition, with Governor Dikko Radda flagging off new treatment centres aimed at expanding access to care for vulnerable children across the state.

The initiative includes the establishment of stabilisation centres and community-based treatment sites designed to detect and treat severe acute malnutrition early, especially in hard-to-reach areas where access to healthcare remains limited.

Governor Dikko Radda announced the rollout during a ceremony in Baure Local Government Area, describing the programme as a critical step toward addressing long-standing gaps in child healthcare delivery across Katsina State.

Two stabilisation centres have been set up in Daura and Baure LGAs, alongside 60 Outpatient Therapeutic Programme (OTP) sites spread across 12 local government areas, including Funtua, Malumfashi, Ingawa, Bindawa, Rimi, Mani, and Kankia.

Radda said the intervention is focused on ensuring that children suffering from severe acute malnutrition receive free and timely treatment. He added that the community-based OTP sites would help identify cases early before they become life-threatening.

The governor stressed that his administration is committed to correcting what he described as years of neglect in underserved communities, insisting that the new centres would help bridge long-standing healthcare inequalities.

However, he issued a strong warning over the misuse of Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF), a key treatment product used for malnourished children. Radda said anyone caught diverting or selling the supplies would face prosecution.

He also approved the establishment of a mobile court to handle related offences, stating that health workers, community members, or individuals involved in diversion would not be spared.

The governor further warned that illegal buyers of the therapeutic food would have the items confiscated and face legal consequences, describing the protection of nutrition supplies as a public health priority.

The programme is part of wider efforts following a high-level nutrition conference held in Abuja in November 2025, where Katsina secured a £10 million pledge from the European Union to support malnutrition response initiatives.

Development partners such as UNICEF and Médecins Sans Frontières were also commended for their continued support in strengthening nutrition services across the state.

According to the Permanent Secretary of the State Ministry of Health, Lawal Rabe, the government has also approved ₦700 million as counterpart funding for the World Bank-supported Accelerated Nutrition Results in Nigeria (ANRIN 20) programme.

He added that several primary healthcare centres are being upgraded into general hospitals across the state, including facilities in Zango, Baure, Mai’adua, and Dandume, as part of broader health sector reforms.