In furtherance of efforts aimed at maternal, newborn and child mortality reduction, as well as promotion of optimal health for residents of Lagos State, the State Government has announced that it would be implementing a weeklong Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health plus Nutrition, MNCAH+N, interventions in all the 57 local governments and local council development areas in the State.
State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, who made the announcement in a statement signed by the Director Public Affairs, Ministry of Health, Mr. Tunbosun Ogunbanwo, yesterday, disclosed that the MNCAH+N week is scheduled to hold from Monday 6th to Friday 10th November, 2023 in all the Primary Healthcare Centres and designated sites across the State including schools, markets and playground.
While noting that the MNCAH+N week is geared towards improving the health-seeking behaviour of all citizens, Abayomi disclosed that the weeklong health intervention would be flagged-off by the First Lady of Lagos State, Dr. Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu on Monday 6th November, 2023 at the Badagry Local Government Secretariat.
According to him, the interventions to be provided during the weeklong health intervention include; routine immunization, family planning, provision of vitamin A supplementation and malnutrition screening, deworming, birth registration as well as HIV and Tuberculosis screening and treatment.
In his words: “Objectives of the MNCAH+N is to improve the health seeking behavior of Lagosians towards ensuring the improvement of indices in the State. During the week, all under five children, pregnant women, nursing mothers and young adults will have access to free health care services, which includes preventive health services such as routine immunization, family planning, vitamin A supplementation, malnutrition screening, birth registration, free antenatal care, HIV and TB screening and treatment, and many others”
The Commissioner noted that a series of trainings have been held to ensure that health workers and implementers to implement the exercise carry out their duties in line with the global best practices and objectives of the campaign.
“The MNCAH+N week has come a long way in ensuring free access to high impact but low-cost promotive and preventive health interventions for the family, especially for women, children, and adolescents. It is an effective strategy employed by the State Government in preventing the common causes of morbidity and mortality especially in women and children”, he said.
Abayomi encouraged citizens particularly women of child bearing age, nursing mothers, pregnant women, adolescents and men to avail themselves of the cost effective health interventions provided during the week, by visiting any of the primary health centres and designated sites earmarked for the exercise.