MSF Launches Nutrition Initiative to Combat Child Malnutrition

Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has launched a local nutrition initiative in Kebbi State, Nigeria, to address the alarming rise in child malnutrition. The program, named after Tom Brown, aims to support approximately 16,000 children suffering from moderate acute malnutrition by the end of 2026.

MSF's country coordinator, Stuart Alexand Zimbl, described malnutrition as a major public health challenge in Kebbi, where it is a leading cause of death among children under five. The initiative follows a significant increase in severe acute malnutrition cases recorded among children in the state.

MSF plans to distribute around 20,000 kilograms of a locally produced nutritional flour blend made from sorghum, soya beans, and groundnuts. This first phase will target children aged six months to five years in the Jega and Maiyama local government areas.

The program is part of a broader community-based intervention that includes health education and malaria testing, aiming to strengthen primary healthcare facilities and improve early identification and management of malnutrition cases.