Kwara State Government says it is targeting 100,000 women, pregnant women and 200,000 children under 5 years of age.

Mrs Olufolake AbdulRazaq, the Governor’s Wife, said this during the launch of the 2024 Maternal Newborn and Child Week in Ilorin.

She added that the intervention include birth registration, immunisation, nutritional assessment, vitamin A supplementation, deworming and growth monitoring.

She explained saying, “Pregnant women will have access to ante-natal care services that include free hematinics tablets and dose of anti-malaria drugs.”

AbdulRazaq stated that protecting the lives of mothers and children is one of the core priorities of the current state government, stating, “We believe that nurturing and caring for children are the cornerstones of human progress.

“Interventions like this, coupled with increased sensitisation about taking ownership of one’s health and utilising healthcare services could significantly contribute to reducing maternal and child mortality.”

Also speaking, Dr Nusirat Elelu, the Executive Secretary of the Kwara Primary Health Care Development Agency, emphasize that the health intervention focuses on maternal healthcare services including ante-natal care, family planning, immunisation and nutrition interventions.

The executive secretary stressed that the services will be made available in all the 193 wards of the state from July 15 to July 19.

Elelu stated, “The intervention is aimed at reducing the unacceptably high morbidity and mortality among women and children under five years.”