July 25, (THEWILL) – No fewer than 930,000 women and children are expected to receive free health services and kits in the state as the Cross River State Government flags off this year’s Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Week.
The annual exercise is a high impact health intervention with partnership with the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency and other development partners. It was flagged off by the wife of the governor and Chairperson of Cross River State Women Empowerment Initiative, Dr Linda Ayade, at Bogobiri, a Muslim dominated suburb of Calabar, the Cross River State capital.
Mrs Ayade called on women to key into the exercise as it had immense benefits to their health, that of their unborn child and their children.
Giving details of the exercise, Dr Janet Ekpenyong, the Director General of the State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, said it would target 930, 000 mothers and children.
These comprised 30, 000 pregnant mothers who will be given mosquito nets and other supplements while 900,000 children will be vaccinated against polio.
“During this year’s MNCHW, 900,000 will be given the Inactivated Polio Vaccination while 30,000 pregnant women will receive medical kits and access services. This is an opportunity to ensure that pregnant women have access to all supplements and also ensure that children are dewormed and access needed vaccines,” she said.
Also speaking, the Commissioner for Health, Dr Betta Edu, said the idea was to reach women and children with the best services.
She said the injectable polio vaccines would be administered so as to prevent a possible outbreak of the disease in the state.
She said the state government was committed to reducing the mortality rate among pregnant women and children to a very insignificant level and ultimately achieve universal health coverage.
THEWILL Correspondent, Aniekan Bassey has over six years experience that spans across several fields in print journalism including development communication, sexual reproductive and health rights issues, crime, climate change, social justice, business and human interest stories.
