FCTA To Provide Inclusive Healthcare Package For Maternal, Newborn Child

By: Prudence Okonna

The Federal Capital Territory Administration will provide an all-inclusive healthcare package for Mothers, newborns, and children between zero and fifty-nine months across homes, healthcare facilities, and other strategic locations in the Federal Capital Territory.

The Mandate Secretary, Health Services and Environmental Secretariat (HSES), Dr. Adedolapo Fasawe, gave this assurance, at a Press Briefing to flag off the Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Week in FCT organized by the FCT Primary Health Care Board (FPHCB), Friday.

The Mandate Secretary said that it is intended to improving the well-being of mothers, infants, and children between 0-59 months.

According to her, all is now set for the commencement of Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health Week (MNCHW) with the first round scheduled for 20 through 24 July 2024 across the six Area Councils of the Federal Capital Territory.

Her words: “The MNCH week is targeted at providing an all-inclusive healthcare package for mothers, newborns, and children between zero and fifty-nine months across homes, healthcare facilities, and other strategic locations in the Nation’s capital.”

Represented by the Permanent Secretary, HSES, Dr. Babagana Adam, the Mandate Secretary called on residents to avail themselves and give the necessary support to the health care workers, who will be going from house to house providing these services.

Fasawe noted that following the alarming indices published by UNICEF in 2017, which shows that vitamin A coverage in FCT was 40.6%, which is far below the minimum 90% target, more is being done to ensure that the 2024 round of MNCH week is integrated to provide need specific services.

“I want to, on behalf of the FCT PHCB inform you that emphasis has shifted from stand-alone vertical campaigns to a more integrated approach like the MNCH week. This exposes caregivers and children to key interventions that improve health status and enable them to thrive through the existing health system and outreach strategy”, she added.

The Mandate Secretary stressed, “these services include Vitamin A Supplementation for children 6-59 months, deworming children 12-59 months, routine Immunization against vaccine-preventable diseases for children 0-11 months, and growth Monitoring and Promotion”.

“Other services include food demonstration and Nutrition screening of children 6-59months, Birth Registration, Family Planning services, hand Washing demonstration, focused Ante Natal Care, and administration of intermittent preventive treatment (IPT) to prevent Malaria in pregnant women, HIV Counseling and Testing (HCT) which is fully integrated into MNCHW as well as Health Promotion on all Key House-Hold Practices” she reiterated.

Welcoming guests, the Executive Secretary, FCT-PHCB, Yakubu Mohammed said the MNCH week, which is conducted twice annually, is targeted at improving the well-being of Mothers, infants, and children between 0-59 months.

He appreciated all the stakeholders from the private sector, civil society organisations as well as non-governmental organisations for their continuous support; adding that he is optimistic that this round of treatments will have more reach and impact on the targeted population.