The Kano State Commissioner for Health, Dr Abubakar Labaran Yusuf, has warned against the diversion and sale of Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF), describing the commodity as government property meant exclusively for the treatment of malnourished children.
Key highlight:
5 Key Points
- Kano bans sale of therapeutic food: The state government warned that selling Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) meant for malnourished children is illegal and will be treated as theft of government property.
- Malnutrition centres restored: The government revived and expanded Centres for Integrated Management of Acute Malnutrition (CIMAM) to 95 centres across all local government areas.
- N1 billion nutrition support: Governor Abba Yusuf approved N500 million for RUTF procurement, which was matched by United Nations Children’s Fund, resulting in supplies worth N1 billion.
- Maternal health improvements: The state approved 484 mini ambulances, recruited 1,018 community health workers, and rehabilitated 320 primary healthcare centres to reduce maternal mortality.
- Enhanced newborn care: Kano introduced neonatal care corners, plans newborn transport services, and provides free oxygen in public hospitals to reduce infant and maternal deaths.
The commissioner issued the warning during a press briefing on the achievements of the Kano State Government in the health sector in the last three years, saying anyone found selling the product would be treated as a criminal.
According to him, RUTF is a specialised nutritional product used in the management of children suffering from acute malnutrition.
Dr Yusuf said when the present administration came into office in 2023, it discovered that the supply of RUTF and the Centres for Integrated Management of Acute Malnutrition (CIMAM) were no longer functioning across the state.
He said, “When we came in 2023/2024, we noticed the absence of RUTF and CIMAM centres. I left 65 centres when I was commissioner in 2015, but when I returned, none were functioning or even existing.
“We informed His Excellency, and he approved the revival of the centres. Today, we have 95 CIMAM centres across Kano State, and there is no local government without one.”
The commissioner disclosed that Governor Abba Yusuf approved the release of N500 million to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in November 2024, which was matched by the organisation, leading to the procurement of RUTF worth N1 billion.
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He explained that the commodity had been distributed free of charge to malnourished children from 2025 and warned that any attempt to sell it amounted to theft of public property.
“RUTF is not for sale anywhere. It is stolen government property if you see it being sold. We are calling on journalists and members of the public to report such cases to the police, DSS or civil defence immediately,” he said.
The commissioner also highlighted the state government’s interventions in reducing maternal and newborn mortality, revealing that Kano previously recorded one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the country.
According to him, data presented to him in 2023 showed that Kano was losing 1,026 women out of every 100,000 deliveries, a situation he described as disturbing.
He said the government established structures aimed at tackling the major causes of maternal deaths, including delays in decision-making, transportation and access to quality healthcare.
Dr Yusuf said the state government had approved the procurement of 484 mini ambulances to work across all the wards to transport pregnant women from communities to nearby health facilities, especially during emergencies.
He added that the state had recruited 1,018 community-based health workers who would provide maternal health services at the ward level, stressing that the move was aimed at ensuring pregnant women receive timely care.
The commissioner further disclosed that the government had rehabilitated 320 Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs) as part of efforts to ensure every ward has a functional health facility.
He also raised concerns over the high rate of neonatal deaths in the state, saying Kano records about 59 deaths per 1,000 live births due to inadequate neonatal care.
To address the challenge, he said the government had introduced neonatal corners in health facilities where newborn babies would be assessed immediately after delivery and provided with necessary care.
He added that the state was also planning to establish special newborn transport services across the three senatorial zones to provide quick referral for babies requiring advanced care.
Dr Yusuf noted that the state government had equally provided free oxygen services across public hospitals to prevent avoidable deaths among women and children.
