The introduction of Multiple Micronutrient Supplements (MMS) has led to a significant reduction in anaemia cases among pregnant women attending antenatal care at Dutse-Alhaji Primary Healthcare Centre in the Federal Capital Territory.
Dr. Deborah Joshua, Officer-in-Charge of the facility, disclosed this on Wednesday during a media field visit organized by Civil Society-Scaling Up Nutrition (CS-SUNN) to sensitize pregnant women on the benefits of MMS.
She explained that MMS simplifies supplementation by combining all essential nutrients into a single daily tablet. As a result, fewer women now present with anaemia, and those who were already anaemic are stabilized before delivery.
“Most of our women are doing well, and for the few who were anaemic before starting antenatal care, we restore them before labor,” Joshua said. Each woman receives a free bottle containing 180 tablets.
Joshua emphasized that MMS delivers the best results when combined with routine antenatal checks, counseling, and close monitoring throughout pregnancy. She noted, however, that operational challenges such as inadequate human resources can slow service delivery.
Mrs. Chinyere Ekwueme, FCT State Nutrition Officer, described MMS as a “game-changer” because it contains 15 micronutrients—compared with only two (iron and folic acid) in the previous IFA tablets.
She highlighted that mothers prefer MMS due to its better smell and reduced nausea, which has improved compliance and contributed to better birth outcomes. Ekwueme stressed that antenatal attendance at certified facilities remains essential for safe and effective use.
She urged communities to report any health worker found selling the free supplements, warning that such practices undermine maternal and infant health. She also encouraged the FCT Administration to adopt the Child Nutrition Fund (CNF) to ensure sustainable supply of MMS and other nutrition commodities.
Mr. Peter Olusola, Communications and Campaign Manager for CS-SUNN, explained that the CNF is a matching fund managed by UNICEF, which doubles government contributions for nutrition commodities. He noted that the opportunity is time-bound and expires in 2030.
Pregnant women at the facility praised MMS for improving their health during pregnancy.
Mrs. Precious Innocent, a third-time mother, said her blood levels had improved noticeably compared with her previous pregnancies. Mrs. Grace Danjuma added that the daily tablets were easy to take and allowed her to stay active without discomfort.
The field visit underscores the growing impact of MMS in addressing maternal anaemia in Nigeria, where the supplement is proving more effective and better tolerated than traditional iron-folic acid tablets—provided supply remains consistent and community-level enforcement prevents diversion of free commodities.
