Lagos govt to provide interventions surrounding maternal, newborn, child health

LAGOS State Government says it remains committed to providing interventions surrounding maternal, newborn and child health in the state.

The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Dr Titilayo Goncalves, made this known on Tuesday at a news conference in Lagos in preparation for the 2019 Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (MNCH) Week.

It is scheduled to hold from July 15 to 19.

Goncalves said the week was geared toward the provision of health interventions surrounding maternal, newborn and child health care in the state.

According to her, maternal, perinatal and child health is one of the most important issues determining global and national wellbeing.

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“The state government has put in place various measures to ensure an effective healthcare system to tackle the twin issues of maternal and child mortality in the state.

“The state has embarked on integration of low cost, high impact services and packages across the reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health (RMNCH) continuum.

“This has the great potential of promoting access and improving outcomes for women and children,” she said.

The permanent secretary urged residents, especially caregivers to take advantage of the 2019 MNCH Week, by taking their under-five children to any of the Primary Healthcare Centres nearest to them to access the various health services.

According to her, the services include routine immunisation; Vitamin A supplementation; growth monitoring and promotion; screening for malnutrition and appropriate counselling/referral; distribution of deworming medicine, among others.

“Maternal Health Booklets, comprehensive health-promoting home-based booklets which provides information on birth planning, pregnancy-related health check-up schedules, emergency care, delivery information, post-natal care will also be made available for mothers.

“Mothers and caregivers should continue to avail themselves of these preventive, promotive and protective healthcare services, even after the celebration of the week.

“This will make maternal, child morbidity and mortality to be collectively reduced,” she said.

Goncalves also urged all the Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs) to ensure they were duly registered, avail themselves with danger signs in pregnancy and newborn, saying they should continue to refer patients early enough in order to save lives.

She urged members of the public, especially women to notify the authorities of any unregistered quacks and charlatans in neighbourhoods.