By Tayo Joseph Lagos, Nigeria
The Oyo State Government has said it is targeting about 1.5million children amounting to 85% coverage of under 5 children as the beneficiaries of Vitamin A supplementation that will be administered on them during the forthcoming Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (MNCH) week.
The State Commissioner of Health, Dr. Azeez Adeduntan, who stated this at the weekend while giving update on the preparation of the State Government towards the MNCH week coming up between May 29-June 2, 2017, said that parents of children between 6months to 59months are expected to bring their wards to the health facilities and outreach centres provided by the government for the programme.
Dr. Adeduntan said that Vitamin A is essential for the targeted children in order to boost their immune system, improve their sight as well as to prevent measles and other related skin diseases.
The Commissioner said that MNCH week will be held in 1404 health facilities across the state, explaining “we have selected two health facility centers and two outreaches in each of the 351 wards throughout the state. This amount to 1404 selected locations where the MNCH week will hold.”
Dr. Adeduntan said that during MNCH week, pregnant women, nursing mothers and children between 0-59 months will be the beneficiaries of free Nutrition and Health interventions 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.