From Shuaibu Zubair Tatu ,Birnin Kebbi
The Medicins Sans Frontieres (MSF) known as Doctors Without Borders is worried with the increments of the malnourished children on it admission with over 400 recorded per day in Kebbi State.
MSF,noted that causes of the increments including high inflation,poverty,limited access to healthcare, desertification and agriculture productivity especially during the planting seasons, stressed that there was urgent need for more NGOs, International Organisations to intervene because MSF was overwhelmed with the surge.
Senior Medical Doctor of MSF, in charge of Maiyama ITFC main center of Kebbi State,Dr. Hamza Bello, disclosed this during an interactive session with newsmen after inspection of the organization facilities in Jega and Maiyama towns.
Bello explained that since many parents heard about free medical services, being delivered by MSF,many of them trekked about 100km to the Maiyama center to treat their malnourished babies.
Recounting their experience in Kebbi State,he said: ” there is unprecedented increase in SAM admissions; over 400 per day in some cases. And August use to be peak, expected to worsen the situation. MSF is the only international Organization treating SAM in Kebbi,some patients travels over 100km to this center to save their babies. We are overwhelmed and there is urgent need for multi -actor support”.
He disclosed that in 2022, over 2,652 impatient were recorded, in 2024,51,139 malnourished babies were treated , stressed that ,in 2022, under SAM and MAM, 9,747 treated and in 2024, 51,139 patients were record which translated to five times of the previous years.
Bello said that in 2025, during weeks 27 and 28, 1,494 and 1,647 patients were on admission which compelled the organization to expands her beds space.
He however appealed to other international Organizations to come into the rescue of the malnourished babies in the state just as the State Government was trying to complement their efforts to curb the surge.
