Bauchi State Government will spend N16.8 million on the 2017 second round of Maternal Neonatal Child Health Week (MNCH).
Executive Chairman of Bauchi State Primary HealthCare Development Agency (BSPHCDA), Pharmacist Adamu Gamawa disclosed this while briefing journalists in Bauchi Tuesday.
He said the exercise, which would be conducted in 646 facilities across the 323 wards in the state, targets 1,351,025 under five children and 341,059 pregnant mothers.
According to him, the interventions includes provision of Vitamin A, iron and fesolate supplements, counselling on HIV/AIDS, nutritional screening and referral on nutrition, malaria drugs.
“The services will be provided free in 646 facilities that is two facilities per ward and it will last for five days starting from 20th to 24th November. Supports were received from partners such as United Nations for Children Fund (UNICEF) provided 996,500 doses of vitamin A, World Health Organization gave technical support, Plan International HC3 and Helen Keller international also supported in social mobilization,” he said.
Flagging-off the exercise at Town Maternity Bayan Fada, wife of the state governor, Hadiza Mohammed Abubakar expressed concern over high rates of maternal and child morbidity and mortality in the North East.
Abubakar who was represented by the wife of Deputy Governor, Fatima Gidado, said the five days dedicated to celebrate the MNCH week was part of government’s efforts to improve maternal, new-born and child health in the state.
She also appealed to parents and wards to take their children to health facilities for MNCH week.
Speaking earlier, the Permanent Secretary, ministry of Health, Dr Sa’idu Aliyu Gital, congratulated the SPHCDA for its preparation for the week long activity.
“In addition to the above, the ward minimum health care package and the integrated maternal, New-Born, and Child Health Initiative (IMNCHI) were introduced by the federal government to provide implementation strategy of MNCH has since been accepted in Bauchi State,” he said.
