Aisha Ibrahim watched her 18-month-old son, Dauda, play outside their home in Maliki 2 settlement, Demsa Local Government Area of Adamawa State. Just weeks earlier, he had become weak, lost weight and stopped eating.
During a routine outreach visit, a mobile health team deployed by the Adamawa State Government with support from World Health Organization (WHO) screened children for malnutrition and other health conditions. When Dauda was assessed using a mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) tape, he was identified as malnourished and referred for treatment.
“I did not know it was malnutrition,” Aisha said. “I was worried because he kept getting weaker.”
Following treatment and follow-up care, Dauda’s condition improved. Four weeks later, he had regained strength and resumed normal activities.
His recovery highlights the importance of community-based screening and early referral to identify malnutrition and connect children to care before complications develop.
Detecting malnutrition early
Dauda’s case reflects broader efforts to strengthen community-based primary health care in Adamawa State. Supported by the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF), the State Government and WHO are expanding integrated outreach services combining nutrition screening, immunisation and referrals for underserved populations.
Early detection and treatment of malnutrition are proven to improve survival and recovery outcomes, particularly in fragile and hard-to-reach settings.
In Nigeria, malnutrition remains a major public health challenge. The Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (2023–2024) indicates that 40% of children under five are stunted and 8% are wasted, while around 2 million with severe acute malnutrition each year.
The burden is particularly high in northern regions, including Adamawa State. In 2025, an estimated 6.4 million children aged 0–59 months across the north-east, north-west and north-central regions were affected by acute malnutrition, including about 2 million with severe acute malnutrition, while conflict and displacement continue to limit access to essential services.
Bringing services closer to communities
To address these challenges, the Adamawa State Government is scaling up nutrition interventions in line with national priorities, focusing on prevention, early detection and prompt treatment.
With technical support from WHO, 10 mobile health teams have been deployed to security-compromised and hard-to-reach communities across 10 local government areas. These teams, comprising nurses and community health workers, deliver integrated services including nutrition screening, basic treatment and referrals.
Between September and December 2025, outreach teams screened 36 727 children, identifying 527 with severe acute malnutrition and 1263 with moderate acute malnutrition. All identified children were referred to treatment centres for follow-up care.
“My son, Tikle, gained weight and started playing with his friends about four weeks after we visited the health centre,” said Salamatu Sani, who lives in Kwana Billa settlement in Gombi Local Government Area. “The health team measured his arm and referred us to the clinic, where they gave ready-to-use therapeutic food and showed me how to feed him. Now he is active again.”
Health workers emphasise that early detection is critical.
“When we identify children early, they recover faster and avoid complications,” said Amina Aliyu, a community health worker supporting community-based management of acute malnutrition services. “It also helps families continue care at home with the right guidance.”
Strengthening systems for impact
These outreach activities form part of wider efforts to strengthen the health system and expand access to life-saving services. Early nutrition screening is being integrated into routine primary health care to ensure continuity of care at community level.
This approach aligns with national frameworks, including the National Strategic Plan of Action for Nutrition (2021–2025) and the National Policy on Food and Nutrition (2016–2025; 2026–2035), which emphasise integrated, community-based service delivery.
WHO supports the State Government by training more than 40 frontline health workers across 10 local government areas, strengthening nutrition surveillance systems, and providing technical guidance and standards.
“Strengthening early detection and treatment for acute malnutrition is critical to improving child survival, particularly in underserved communities,” said Dr Yusuf Abdulhakeen, WHO State Coordinator in Adamawa.
At the national level, the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare highlights the need to scale up such approaches.
“Malnutrition continues to threaten the survival, growth and development of many Nigerian children,” said Olufunmilola Adegbite, Director and Head of Nutrition.
“Expanding early detection and treatment through primary health care is essential to reducing preventable child deaths.”
For children like Dauda and Tikle, early screening supports timely treatment and recovery. Expanding integrated nutrition services through primary health care will be critical to reaching more vulnerable children, preventing complications and accelerating progress towards improved child survival in Nigeria.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of World Health Organization (WHO) – Nigeria.