Janet Ogundepo
The Lagos State Government says it has trained no fewer than 3,000 health workers to administer the routine immunisation, deworming tablets and vitamin A supplementation to children as it commences the Biannual Maternal, Newborn, Child, and Adolescent Health plus Nutrition Week.
The Special Adviser to state governor on Health, Dr Kemi Ogunyemi, disclosed this at a press briefing on Tuesday, stating that the event coincided with the 2024 World Breastfeeding Week (August 1-7).
She noted that the MNCAH week was established by the Federal Ministry of Health through the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, in collaboration with the 36 states of the Federation, to improve the provision of preventive and cost-effective maternal and child health interventions.
Ogunyemi also said the week aims to increase public awareness and strengthen basic healthcare services across the health facilities in the state.
The United Nations Children’s Fund reports that 12 million out of the 35 million under-five children in Nigeria are stunted due to malnutrition.
UNICEF further ranked Nigeria as number one in Africa and second in the world in terms of malnourished children.
The National Demographic and Health Survey, 2018 reveals that one in three Nigerian children suffers from stunting.
UNICEF also noted that the first 1,000 days of a child’s life offered a unique window of opportunity for preventing undernutrition and its consequences.
Stunting is a form of malnutrition that occurs when a child has low height for their age. It is a form of malnutrition which is referred to as chronic malnutrition.
Stunted children are at risk of developmental delays and impaired cognitive development.
Speaking further during the event, Ogunyemi said, “I do not doubt that these week-long activities will be a tremendous success as all the 329 primary health care centres and the 752 mobile teams have been well informed and trained on the implementation strategies.
“The mobile team will be visiting creches, schools, and playing grounds to administer the warming tablets, and vitamin A to eligible children.
“Over 3,000 health workers have been trained to administer the following interventions, routine immunisation, vitamin A supplementation for children from six to 59 months of age, de-warming of children between the ages of 12 to 59 months, malnutrition screening in children of ages six to 59 months.
“Others are Human Immunodeficiency virus and tuberculosis screening for children, women and men, counselling of caregivers and nursing mothers on maternal, infant and young child nutrition.
“The inventions also include food demonstration classes for nursing mothers and caregivers, administration of multiple micronutrient supplements to pregnant women and nursing mothers, family planning services for women and men of reproductive ages, that is 15 to 49 years.
“All designated centres, that is all Primary Health care Centres, will open daily from 8am to 4pm.”
Ogunyemi thanked the community, and traditional and religious leaders for their cooperation and unflinching support towards World Breastfeeding Week, MNCAH, and Nutrition Week and urged every Local Government Chairman to support the massive mobilisation of mothers and under-five children.
“I appeal to the Executive Chairman to also flag up these two events at the LGAs and LCDAs to create the publicity required to mobilise the eligible women and children to the health facilities across the state. Let us remember that healthy women bring forth healthy babies that will also guarantee a healthy society,” she said.
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