Funmi Olaitan, Ibadan

Oyo State government at the weekend said it was targeting about 1.5 million children amounting to 85 per cent coverage of under 5 children as 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 said this while giving update on the preparation of the state government towards the MNCH week coming up between May 29-June 2, 2017, said parents of children between six months to 59 months are expected to bring their wards to health facilities and outreach centres provided by the government for the programme.

He said 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.

Adeduntan added that the MNCH week will be held in 1404 health facilities across the state, stating “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.”

He said during the 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.

He said, “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”.