By Tayo Joseph Lagos, Nigeria
The Oyo State Government has announced May 29 – June 2, 2017 as the period for the state’s Maternal, Newborn and Child health week, saying that the programme will be held in 1404 health facilities across the state.
The government also said that it is targeting about 1.5million children to be the beneficiaries of Vitamin A that will be administered on them.
The State Commissioner of Health, Dr. Azeez Adeduntan, who said this in Ibadan on Tuesday, explained that the Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (MNCH) Week comes up at two health facility centers and two outreaches in each of the 351 wards throughout the state.
Dr. Adeduntan said that during MNCH week, pregnant women, nursing mothers and children between 0-59 months will be the beneficiaries of free medical services including Vitamin A, HIV Screening, Malnutrition Screening, adding that there will also be provision of Family planning commodities, birth registration, deworming tablets for children of 12-59 months as well as provision of Malaria drugs for pregnant women.
“Pregnant women and Nursing mothers are therefore reminded that this 5-day nutrition and health interventions are free. Based on our consultations, we can reliably say that Ramadan does not prevent pregnant women from taking tetanus toxoid vaccines,” Dr. Adeduntan emphasized.
