UNICEF tasks parents on balanced diet for child development

THE United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has called on the parents, guardians and caregivers to imbibe the culture of good hygiene and balanced nutrition for rapid development of their children.

Its Desk Officer in Anambra, Mrs Chineze Ileka, made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Awka.

Ileka said that good hygiene and balanced diet provide not only rapid child development, but protect children from childhood killer diseases.

“Good hygiene and balanced meal also make pregnant women carry their full pregnancy term successfully and be healthy enough to do any work to fend for their family.

“A lot of sensitisation on the essence of hygiene, female health and related matters, have been carried out in collaboration with the National Orientation Agency (NOA).

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“More awareness is ongoing to get the villagers enlightened on the need to maintain good hygiene and eating of balanced meals.

“Pregnant women also are educated on the need to go to the hospitals and health centres for immunisation of their children and other health-related matters.

“The whole idea is to discourage some pregnant women who visit traditional birth attendants for antenatal and bring the benefit of modern medical care to them,’’ she said.

The desk officer listed benefits of modern medical care to include: to prevent communicable diseases like HIV/AIDS, saying statistics indicated that Anambra was the third in the country.

Ileka urged pregnant women to seek medical attention from qualified personnel to ensure healthy living.

She said that UNICEF partnered with NOA to create awareness on essential family practices and information dissemination on prevention of diseases, breastfeeding, immunisation and pregnancy, among others.

Ileka urged mothers to maintain good habits that would promote safe motherhood and healthy living in communities in the state.