Niger State Governor, Mohammed Umaru Bago, has flagged off the 2025 First Round of the Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Week, as well as the National Immunisation Plus Days across the state.
The flag-off ceremony took place at the Senator Idris Ibrahim Kuta Primary Healthcare Centre, Old Airport Road, Minna.
The Governor reiterated that good nutrition is imperative to ensuring healthier lives, stronger communities, and a more productive state.
Represented by his Deputy, Comrade Yakubu Garba, the Governor said the campaigns on nutrition and immunisation are in line with the New Niger agenda and are also critical to reducing morbidity and mortality rates in the state.
He noted that although malnutrition—particularly among children and women—has continued to pose challenges, the present administration is not relenting in its commitment to addressing them head-on in order to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The Governor affirmed that substantial investments have been made through reforms, policies, and projects aimed at transforming the healthcare system in the state.
He appreciated all development partners and donor agencies in the state for their technical and financial support in nutrition and healthcare delivery, adding that through these partnerships, the state has been able to provide essential nutrition commodities, improve 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 in healthy diets, promote breastfeeding and complementary feeding practices, and encourage antenatal screening, family planning, and routine immunisation for all eligible children and women.
He reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to 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 morbidity and mortality in the state.
He disclosed that during the course of the week, the Ministry would be providing free and safe medical services, including malnutrition screening, antenatal care, birth registration with the issuance of birth certificates, provision of long-lasting insecticide-treated nets, strengthening of routine immunisation, and the administration of supplemental oral vaccination.
In their separate goodwill messages, representatives of the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHCDA); the State Coordinator, Niger State Field Office, Yusuf Mohammed Andason; the State Coordinator, World Health Organisation, Aliyu Usman; and the Nutrition Specialist, UNICEF Kaduna Field Office, Chinwe Ezeife, commended the efforts of the state government in protecting the health and future of children and women in the state.
They pledged their continued support and collaboration with the state government to ensure effective and efficient healthcare service delivery.
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