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The Lagos State Government in collaboration with Alive & Thrive (FHI 360), engaged three community-based organizations (CBOs) as partners in accelerating the scale of the Maternal, Infant and Young Child Nutrition (MIYCN) Project, with funding from Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
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The project being implemented in seven states of Nigeria is aimed at enhancing child health and development outcomes and saving lives in the country through a sustainable national program of optimal maternal, infant, and young child nutrition.
The Director, of Medical Services and Disease Control, State Primary Health Care Board Dr Oluwo represented by Nutrition Officer, Dr Adetoke Adekitan at the onboarding of CBOs encouraged them to be creative and innovative in their approach towards strengthening MIYCN outcomes leveraging on available platforms within the local government areas and communities to reach mothers and caregivers.
Adekitan further said their mission in Lagos State Primary health care is to provide coverage of quality, effective and efficient primary care.
The State Nutrition Officer, Ministry of Health, Lagos State, Mrs Braheem Olubunmi added that the CBOs’ commitment is vital in improving nutrition indices for mothers, infants and young children within the state.
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Reproductive Health/SEMCHIC program officer, Dr Veronica Iwayemi advised expectant mothers under 20 weeks to register in order to see the child’s development, identify complications and go for antenatal at least 4 times
She further noted that their aim is to implement the Lagos State policy on primary care through community participation, collaboration, utilization of appropriate technology, development of human resources of health, and integrated service provision.
She charged CBOs’ to help with information gathering in order to make informed decisions to deal with issues effectively and efficiently.
“Health is the mental, physical and social well-being of people, we hope to make that a reality for women and young children”~ she said.
Also, the meeting was used to finalise the work plans of the CBOs’ to fully align with the Lagos State MIYCN priorities, in attendance at the meeting were The Neochild Initiative, Champagne Foundation and Good Women Association.
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