I am delighted that my Wellbeing Foundation Africa has commenced its partnership project with Nutrition International and the Governments of Kano and Sokoto States in Scaling up Zinc and LO-ORS to Improve Childhood Diarrhoea treatment in Northern Nigeria.

Childhood diarrhoea remains a threat to child survival in Nigeria; 10% of deaths in children under five are due to this disease. The country still records national prevalence as high as 13%. State-specific variations in prevalence of diarrhoea are also recognised; the prevalence in the north-western states is considerably higher at 20.7% in Kano, 18.6% in Katsina, and 21.7% in Zamfara.

While the number of global under-five deaths dropped to its lowest point on record in 2019 – down to 5.2 million, from 12.5 million in 1990, there are fears that numbers could rise on the back of COVID-induced disruptions to child and maternal health services, recent estimates from UNICEF, indicate. 

Over the past 30 years, health services to prevent or treat causes of child death such as preterm, low birth weight, complications during birth, neonatal sepsis, pneumonia, diarrhoea and malaria, as well as vaccination, have played a large role in saving millions of lives, added the agencies.

Accelerating Frontline practices is an essential factor in improving health for all.

In seeking to contribute to reducing the number of deaths due to diarrhoea among children under five In Nigeria, the project is providing both technical and financial support to Kano and Sokoto to address key factors associated with increased diarrhoea morbidity and mortality – supporting the promotion of prompt care-seeking for children with diarrhoea among caregivers as well as adherence to standard treatment (zinc and low-osmolarity oral rehydration solution [LO-ORS]).

The WBFA is dedicated to implementing targeted technical and financial support to improve the capacity (knowledge, skill and attitude) of health care providers to provide quality zinc and LO-ORS and appropriate interpersonal communications for the treatment of all diarrhoea cases seen at health facility or community level service points. In addition, we aim, supported by Nutrition International, to improve the commitment of state actors, such as health managers and policy makers, to implement complementary drug revolving fund (DRF) schemes for effective availability and sustainability of health commodities, including zinc and LO-ORS.