THE Federal Ministry of Health in collaboration with UNICEF has commenced the revision of the National Integrated Reproductive Maternal Newborn Child Adolescent Health plus Nutrition Social and Behaviour Change Strategy (IRMNCAH+ N SBC) (2019- 2023).
The Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, said this at the opening of a three-day stakeholders meeting to review the strategy of boosting maternal and reproductive healthcare on Friday in Abuja.
Adewole noted that the communication component of the strategy would help to improve the health and well-being of Nigerians.
Represented by Dr Adebimpe Adebiyi, the Director, Department of Family Health, the minister said the federal government launched the integrated maternal new-born health strategy in 2007.
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He added that the facility was initially aimed at facilitating the impact and result orientated intervention to accelerate the process towards achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDG).
“In line with the line National Health Promotion Policy, we envision a population equipped with adequate and effective health promotion to live a healthy lifestyle.
“The communication component of the strategy was developed to empower individual’s families and communities with information, skills, and tools to make informed decisions for the improvement and well-being of mothers, infants, adolescent and our families,’’ he said.
The minister, therefore, said the meeting was aimed at reaching consensus on the framework for (IRMNCAH+ N SBC) Strategy.
“It is my sincere hope that the output of this meeting will lay the foundation for the development of the revised strategy that will derive the effective implementation of social and behavioural change intervention for IRMNCAH+ N,’’ he said.
He added the interventions were in the areas of health education, community engagement, advocacy and service improvement at federal state and local government and community level.
Earlier, the Chief Health Education Officer, Federal Ministry of Health, Mrs Debora Jokodola said the meeting was to review the Integrated Maternal New-born Child Adolescent Health plus Nutrition Social and Behavioral Change (IRMNCAH+ N SBC) Strategy.
She added that the review was to include emerging and re-emerging health challenges into the strategy in line with the recently reviewed IRMNCAH+N strategy as well as contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.
Relationship Manager, Sterling Bank PLC, Abuja, Mr Oluwaseun Odofin said the bank had engaged the ministry and its parastatals on a partnership to meet the banking needs of the ministry to address some of the challenges.
“Sterling bank is looking for an avenue for partnership with the ministry and its agencies and departments to meet the pressing needs of the organisation.
“With this partnership, we are determined to bridge the financial gaps of health promotion programmes,’’ he said.
Monitoring and Evaluation Manager, Nigeria Interface Action Association (NIFAA), Malam Murtala Abdulrahman said the association would explore the context of the issues involved from the Islamic and Christian perspective with a view to spiritual guidance towards enhancing the health and wellbeing of Nigerians.
He said NIFAA would ensure that religious leaders were enlightened about IRMNCH+N Strategy to enable them to bring the desired changes and goals of the strategy at all levels.
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