OSPHCDA Hosts Delegation from Nine States and the FCT on Study Tour of Tom Brown Production Initiative
The Ondo State Primary Health Care Development Agency (OSPHCDA) has hosted a delegation from nine states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on a study tour of its Tom Brown production kitchen, an innovative nutrition initiative aimed at improving the nutritional status of infants and young children through the production of locally sourced complementary food.
The study visit, facilitated by Vitamin Angels, brought together participants from across the country to understudy the Agency’s best practices in the production, quality assurance, packaging, and distribution of Tom Brown—a nutrient-rich complementary food that has continued to support the fight against childhood malnutrition in Ondo State and Nigeria.
Representing the Permanent Secretary of the Ondo State Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr. Francis Adegoke Akanbiemu, the Director of Medical Services, Dr. Paulinus Omode, welcomed the visitors and described the visit as a recognition of the Ondo State Government’s commitment to improving maternal and child health through innovative and sustainable nutrition interventions.
He explained that the Tom Brown production kitchen was established by the State Government to provide affordable, nutritious complementary food and Ready-to-Use Supplementary Food (RUSF) using locally available ingredients, thereby enhancing the growth and development of children across the state and beyond.
According to him, “The use of Tom Brown has gone beyond complementary feeding and the management of Moderate Acute Malnutrition (MAM). It has also been used successfully in the treatment of over 10 cases of Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) in the state. We are optimistic that, in the near future, the state will no longer need to procure Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) for the management of SAM, as Tom Brown has proven to be a more affordable alternative.”
Dr. Omode commended Vitamin Angels for creating a platform for knowledge exchange among states and encouraged participants to maximize the opportunity by learning every aspect of the production process. He reaffirmed the Agency’s commitment to sharing best practices that will strengthen primary healthcare delivery and reduce the burden of child malnutrition across Nigeria.
He further disclosed that plans are underway to reconstruct and expand the nutrition kitchen into a medium-scale production facility that will serve as a centre of excellence.
He added that, as a pacesetter in nutrition initiatives, Ondo State aims to export Tom Brown to more states across Nigeria and eventually to other West African countries upon completion of the expansion project.
Also speaking, the Manager of Practice and Quality Assurance (PQA), EHA Clinics, Kano State, Dr Victor Chukwudi commended the Ondo State Primary Health Care Development Agency for maintaining high standards in the production of Tom Brown.
The manager described the initiative as a practical and replicable model capable of improving child nutrition in other parts of the country and expressed confidence that the knowledge gained during the visit would strengthen nutrition programmes in the participating states.
Similarly, the Registrar of Marjune Bash College, Aba, Abia State, Mrs. Elechi Ugochukwu, appreciated the Agency for its warm reception and openness in sharing its experience.
She noted that the visit provided valuable insights into community-based nutrition interventions and pledged to share the knowledge with relevant stakeholders to support similar initiatives in Abia State.
The Ondo State Coordinator of Vitamin Angels, Mrs. Olabisi Omolona, also commended the management and staff of the Agency, as well as the Ondo State Government, for their commitment to promoting child nutrition through the Tom Brown initiative.
She explained that the study tour was organized to expose participants from the nine states and the FCT to proven strategies that can be adopted or adapted to improve nutrition outcomes in their respective states.
The Director of Nutrition, Mrs Lucy Akinkuotu expressed appreciation to the delegates for their field visit to the Nutrition Kitchen at the OSPHCDA, where TOM BROWN is produced from locally available raw materials. She explained that TOM BROWN is used to prevent and manage malnutrition among children under five years in Ondo State and has also been utilized in the management of severe uncomplicated malnutrition.
She further noted that TOM BROWN was originally produced for a Civil Society Organization, Bountiful Children Foundation, and has been used by neighboring states such as Ekiti, Rivers, and Oyo to manage identified cases of malnutrition.
She emphasized that Ondo State is the only state among the 36 states of the Federation where TOM BROWN production is supported and owned by the State Government.
Participants were taken through the entire Tom Brown production process, including ingredient selection, processing, quality control, packaging, storage, and distribution. They also interacted with the Agency’s technical personnel, who provided practical demonstrations and responded to questions on sustaining the initiative at the community level.
The visit concluded with a renewed commitment by the participating states to strengthen collaboration, share best practices, and replicate successful nutrition interventions in their respective locations. Stakeholders expressed optimism that such partnerships would contribute significantly to reducing childhood malnutrition and improving the health and well-being of children across Nigeria.
The participating states were Abia, Ogun, Oyo, Lagos, Kaduna, Taraba, Sokoto, Kano, and Plateau, alongside the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.
Ayo Falana
OSPHCDA
