Health

Take advantage of Child Health Week to immunize your children – Mrs Anyanwu-Akeredolu

By Web News 926

Mothers and caregivers in Ondo State have been urged to take advantage of the Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Week to immunize their wards against killer diseases.

Wife of Ondo State Governor, Mrs Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu made the call while flagging off the year 2022 Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Week, MNCHW at the Mother and Child Hospital, Oke-Aro, Akure.

Wife of Ondo State Governor, Mrs Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu while flagging off the year 2022 Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Week, MNCHW at the Mother and Child Hospital, Oke-Aro, Akure.

Mrs Anyanwu-Akeredolu explained that there was the need for mothers and caregivers to take their children and wards under five years to the nearest health facilities and outreach points for them to be immunized during the ongoing campaign.

Flagging off the 2022 MNCHW, the wife of the governor said: “I wish to inform our mothers and caregivers to take their children and wards aged 0 to 59 months to the nearest health facilities and outreach points to obtain all available interventions during this campaign”.

She commended the state government for its efforts towards ensuring child protection, survival and development in the state and for providing enabling environment and needed resources for the implementation of yearly Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Week, MNCHW.

She also commended the efforts of stakeholders, including wives of local government chairmen, Non-governmental organisations, market women for their commitment and mobilisation at the grassroots to embrace child survival, protection and development programmes.

The Commissioner for Health, Dr Banji Ajaka said the exercise was aimed at reaching all the children under the age of five years with Routine Immunisation (RI) vaccines, Vitamin A supplements, de-worming tablets, screening for Malnutrition, HIV Counselling and Testing, birth registration, and promotion of other child protection services, noting that the state was rated 96% best coverage in the August 2021 Round of MNCHW.

In her goodwill message, the Ondo State Representative of the United Nations Children’s Fund, UNICEF, Mrs Ada Ezeogu, commended Ondo State for achieving a higher percentage of coverage of MNCHW and appealed for the sustainability of the tempo.

Mrs Ezeogu reiterated the commitment of UNICEF to collaborate with other partners in providing support for the state in all areas that affect women and children.

Tosin Ighoteguono

Health

Osun Govt. Kicks-Off 2021 Maternal, Newborn, Child Health Week

By Web News 925

Osun State governor, Mr Adegboyega Oyetola has flagged off the 2021 Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Week in the state.

Speaking at the event in Osogbo, Governor Oyetola tasked mothers to make themselves and their children available for the exercise as it will be of immense benefit to their health.

The governor who said his administration had renovated and equipped over 300 primary healthcare centres across the state reiterated his commitment to pursue any programme that will benefit residents of the state.

In a goodwill message, the WHO country representative to Nigeria, Doctor Walter Mulombo tasked mothers to utilize the exercise and other health intervention programmes.

Earlier, Chairman, Osun Primary Health Care Board, Dr Leke Ogunsola said the maternal, newborn and child health week would enable mothers and children below age 5 to freely access vitamin A, immunization, deworming, family planning and other key health services.

Dr Ogunsola made it known that the COVID-19 booster vaccine will be available in the state by next week urging those who had taken the first and second covid-19 vaccine jab to prepare to get it.

Abiodun Adeoye