SELYA YARNAP ,Bauchi
As part of its efforts to fight against child malnutrition in Bauchi State, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) , known as Doctors Without Borders has provided free medical services to 2,000 children between ages 1 month to 15 years every month.
The Project Medical Preferent MSF Bauchi Dr. Claude Bitaronga disclosed this during a media visit to the MSF Pediatric hospital in Kafin Madaki Ganjuwa Local government area of Bauchi State organized by Journalists for Public Health and Development Initiative (J4PD).
According to him, the Organization is supporting the Bauchi State government to respond to malnutrition cases and vaccine preventable diseases.
He added that the organization provides a wide range of services to hundreds of children who come in with severe acute malnutrition and other complications.
According to him, “patients who pass by this hospital are being referred from Primary Health Care Centers within the State and neighboring Jigawa and Plateau states and others come based on information they receive about services that MSF provides”.
Patients always come to this area on a daily basis,he said are between 70- 80 on a regular period and 100 during peak period which starts from April to July.
“In the two years now that is 2024/2025 we have recorded increase in patients flow during the months of April to July which is why we had to expand our bed capacity from 250 to 350 to accommodate all who need stabilisation “.
He revealed that the MSF Isolation Center offers comprehensive care, including three free meals daily for both children and their caregivers. Essential supplies such as sanitary items, drugs, and laboratory investigations are provided at no cost.
” MSF also provides Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) tailored to each child’s age and weight to help in their recovery. Children who have been stabilized are referred to one of the organization’s ATF centers where they continue with their treatment”.
MSF , he stated has introduced Para- Muac a strategy where community health workers train parents and caregivers on how to screen their children for malnutrition.
“Today these parents can use the Mid-Upper Arm Circumference tape ( Muac) very well that when they come to the hospital the readings are accurate in most cases”.
Dr Claude Bitaronga added that the hospital has a health promotion and community engagement unit that links the community to the hospital and creates awareness about services being provided and what is expected from community members.
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