The Oyo State Government on Thursday disclosed that another round of Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (MNCH) week will hold between January 8 and 12, 2018.
The State Government said that the programme will hold across all the Local Government Areas (LGAs) and Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) in the state, adding that health officers will also go round schools to administer Vitamin A to the pupils.
The state Commissioner for Health, Dr Azeez Adeduntan, who disclosed this, explained that during MNCH week, pregnant women, nursing mothers and children between 0-59 months will benefit from the free medical services including Vitamin A, HIV Screening, Malnutrition Screening, noting 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.
Dr Adeduntan 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, stating that the programme will hold at 702 health facilities as well as 702 outreaches.
He pointed out that children under 5years would benefit from Vitamin A supplementation that will be administered on them, saying 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.
Dr Adedutan noted that the programme is organized in collaboration with Save One Million lives for Result, stressing “Pregnant women and Nursing mothers are therefore reminded that this 5-day nutrition and health interventions are free.”