By Ankeli Emmanuel (In Sokoto State)
The Sokoto State Government has officially flagged off the Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Week (MNCHW), a strategic health intervention aimed at improving the nutritional status and overall wellbeing of mothers and children across the state.
The launch ceremony which took place at Kofar Kade Primary Healthcare Centre in Sokoto North Local Government Area was attended by the Honourable Commissioner for Health, Dr. Faruk Umar Abubakar, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Primary Healthcare, and the Executive Secretary of the Sokoto State Primary Healthcare Development Agency (SSPHCDA), alongside other government officials, development partners, health workers, community leaders, as well as women and caregivers.
Speaking during the flag-off ceremony, Sokoto State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Faruk Umar Abubakar, reaffirmed the commitment of the Sokoto State Government towards improving maternal, newborn and child health outcomes through sustained investments in primary healthcare services and preventive interventions.
Dr Faruk emphasized that the Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Week remains one of the state’s most important public health initiatives, providing an opportunity to deliver life-saving services directly to mothers and children at the community level.
The health commissioner therefore urged parents and caregivers to take advantage of the exercise by bringing eligible children and pregnant women to health facilities and designated outreach points across the state.
According to him, improving child survival, reducing malnutrition, preventing childhood illnesses and ensuring healthier pregnancies remain priorities for the state government, even as he commended frontline health workers, development partners and community stakeholders for their continued support in advancing healthcare delivery across Sokoto State.
Continuing, Dr Faruk divulged that the week-long exercise will focus on the provision of essential nutrition services targeted at children under five years of age and pregnant women and being supported by donors and development partners like, UNICEF, WHO, Hellen Keller, Nutrition International, Child Nutrition Fund, Kirk Humanitarain and the Gates Foundation.
Giving a comprehensive breakdown of what to expect, Dr Faruk said, "Children aged 6 to 59 months will receive Vitamin A supplementation to boost immunity, support healthy growth and reduce the risk of childhood illnesses.
"Children aged 12 to 59 months will receive deworming tablets to protect them against intestinal worm infections that can contribute to malnutrition and poor growth.
"Pregnant women will receive Iron-Folic Acid supplementation to prevent anaemia, promote healthy pregnancies and support the wellbeing of both mother and child.
"The state aims to reach a total of 1,136,399 children aged 6 to 59 months with Vitamin A supplementation and deworming services, while 350,741 pregnant women are expected to benefit from Iron-Folic Acid supplementation during the exercise".
Health professionals described the Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Week as a critical platform for delivering high-impact, cost-effective interventions that contribute significantly to reducing maternal and child morbidity and mortality. NNL.
