Niger State Governor, Mohammed Umaru Bago, has flagged off the 2025 1st Round Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Week, as well as the National Immunization Plus Days across the State.
The flag-off ceremony was done at the Sen. Idris Ibrahim Kuta Primary Healthcare Centre, Old Airport Road, Minna.
The governor reiterated that good nutrition is imperative in ensuring healthier lives, stronger communities and a productive state.
Represented by his Deputy, Comrade Yakubu Garba, the Governor said the campaigns on nutrition and immunization are in line with the New Niger agenda and also critical to the reduction of morbidity and mortality rate in the State.
He said though malnutrition, particularly among children and women, has continued to pose challenges, the present administration in the State is not relenting in its commitment to addressing them head-on, to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The governor maintains that substantial investments have been made through reforms, policies, and projects aimed at transforming the healthcare system in the state.
He appreciated all the development partners and donor agencies in the State, for their technical and financial support in nutrition and healthcare delivery systems, adding that through their partnership, the State has been able to provide essential nutrition commodities, improved health literacy, and deliver critical interventions to mothers, infants, and children across the State.
The Governor then urged all mothers, caregivers, and community leaders to take advantage of the activities lined up for this year’s Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Week, to address deficiencies on healthy diets, promote breastfeeding and complementary feeding practices, encourage antenatal screening, family planning and routine immunization for all eligible children and women.
He reassured the commitment of the state government in prioritising primary healthcare interventions to ensure that every family enjoys a healthy life
Earlier, the Commissioner for Primary Healthcare, Dr. Ibrahim Dangana said that the programme is aimed at providing a platform geared towards reducing the menace of maternal mobility and mortality in the state.
He disclosed that in the course of the week, the Ministry will be providing free and safe medical services which includes malnutrition screening, antenatal care, birth registration with issuance of birth certificate, provision of long-lasting insecticides treated nets, strength routine immunisation as well as providing supplemental oral vaccination.
In their separate goodwill messages, representatives of the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency and State coordinator, Niger state field office, Yusuf Mohammed Andason, State Coordinator, World Health Organisation, Aliyu Usman and the Nutrition Specialist, UNICEF, Kaduna Field Office, Chinwe Ezeife, commended the efforts of the state government towards protecting the health and future of children and women in the state.
They pledged their continuous support and collaboration with the state government in ensuring effective and efficient healthcare service delivery.
