Aisha Buhari’s programme to participate in 2nd MNCH 2018 in Kebbi

The Future Assured Programme of the Wife of Nigeria’s President, Mrs Aisha Muhammadu Buhari, will participate in second edition of Mother, Newborn and Child Health (MNCH) Week 2018 to be flagged off in Kebbi Wednesday.

Announcing this in a Tuesday statement, copy of which was made available to The DEFENDER, was Director of Information in the Office of the Wife of the President, Mr. Suleiman Haruna.

According to the statement, it  is the fourth time the Future Assured Programme will be participating in the bi-annual event signposting the commitment of Mrs Buhari to reducing mother, child mortality rate in the country.

The statement titled, “Marking the second round of MNCH Week 2018”, read:

“Recent statistics indicate that Nigeria ranks fourth among countries with highest rates of maternal mortality and second in neonatal deaths. One of the causes of these poor indices is that women and children do not have access to essential health services. This is worse in underserved and hard to reach communities.

“Since 2010, the National Council on Health had marked a Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (MNCH) week as a strategy for achieving global health targets and to promote maternal and child health in the country.  During the week, services such as immunization, deworming of children below the age of five years, vitamin A supplementation, Micronutrient supplements for women and children as well as nutrition assessment, family planning services, HIV testing, and many other interventions are delivered to vulnerable populations and those in hard to reach areas.

“The week is marked twice a year, in May and in November.  The November, 2018 round, has been scheduled to hold from the 19th to 23rd. Many states have established regularity in observing the week but those that do not, are encouraged to do so for the benefit of their citizens.

“Future Assured Programme of Her Excellency, wife of the President, Dr. Mrs. Aisha Muhammadu Buhari has been supporting the MNCH Week since the inception of this administration, by participating in the activities of states; so far, the Programme has participated in the north-east, north-central and south-west zones.

“Kebbi, from the North West is our fourth participation, and a formal event will be flagged-off at Birnin Kebbi on the 21st of November, 2018.

“The objective of the event is to create awareness on the need for states to imbibe timely and regular observance of the week, provide the full complement of services while taking into account state peculiarities as well as revamping primary health care centers so that these services can be routine. Wives of governors are requested to champion these efforts in their states.”