Health
Niger, UNICEF begin campaign to combat mothers, babies’ diseases
By Chika Otuchikere
The Niger State Government has collaborated with the United Nations Children’s Education Fund to promote a campaign to combat preventable diseases in mothers and newborn babies.
Arewa PUNCH reports that the campaign, which urges mothers and caregivers to take full advantage of the services provided by the state government, recruited volunteers who will serve as community mobilisers and who, in turn, will help to bridge the gap between healthcare facilities and families to tackle preventable diseases in mothers and newborn babies.
Speaking about the campaign, which flagged off in Minna, the state capital, the Chairman of Chanchaga Local Government Area of Niger State, Dr Mustapha Alheri, called on mothers and caregivers to take full advantage of the services provided by the state government to tackle the preventable diseases.
Alheri, while flagging off a two-day Orientation for Mama-2-Mama group organised by the Niger State Primary Healthcare Development Agency in collaboration with UNICEF and supported by the United States government, noted that the initiative will equip women with the knowledge and skills needed to promote positive health behaviours.
“This is a lofty initiative, and it will give women direct access to other women in their communities, especially pregnant women who do not visit hospitals for antenatal care or those who do not take their children for Immunisation.
“I am very optimistic that, by the time they go out, these women know them and they will be able to persuade and convince them to start seeking antenatal care and those who already have children to take their children for Immunisation,” he said.
The UNICEF representatives and other resource persons said the trained volunteers will serve as community mobilisers who will in turn help to bridge the gap between healthcare facilities and families, especially in encouraging greater participation for better access to health services.
The Director, Primary Health Care, Chanchaga LGA, Rabiu Yusuf, disclosed that 40 women and four supervisors drawn from four wards were carefully selected for the training.
She said the volunteers, who are mostly retired health workers, have been trained on routine immunisation, antenatal care, hygiene practice and community health promotion.
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