The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Primary Health Care Board (FPHCB) has called on the media to support publicity for the second phase of the 2025 Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Week (MNCHW).
Dr. Ruquayya Wamako, Executive Secretary of the board, made the appeal during a one-day media orientation held on Friday.
She said the five-day exercise is scheduled to run from Saturday, Nov. 22, to Wednesday, Nov. 26.
Wamako, who was represented by Dr. Okoli Nicholas, Acting Director of Primary Health Care, said media support is vital to mobilize mothers of children under five and pregnant women to participate in the programme.
She noted that the week-long activity is aimed at improving the health of FCT residents, adding that field officers had already been deployed for the exercise.
“All our primary health facilities will be open to serve pregnant women and children during this period. Our health workers will also visit schools, churches, mosques, villages and markets to ensure children receive vital interventions,” she said.
She listed the key interventions to include vitamin A supplementation for children aged six to 59 months, family planning services, and other essential health services. She added that UNICEF, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the FCT Administration were among partners supporting the programme.
Wamako also said the week would be used to administer the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine to nine-year-old girls who missed the October campaign.
Mrs. Chinyere Umeh, Deputy Director of Health Education, said vaccination teams would visit homes to reach eligible children and urged parents, guardians and teachers to grant them access for a successful exercise.
She added that the board had engaged school heads, religious leaders and area council authorities to ensure smooth implementation and called on residents to cooperate with health workers.
Also speaking, Mrs. Ezeh-Ngozi Nnenna, Deputy Director of Nutrition, outlined the services available during the MNCHW, aimed at reducing newborn and child mortality and improving maternal health.
“These include routine immunization, tetanus-diphtheria (Td) vaccines for women, deworming for children aged 12 to 59 months, and vitamin A supplementation,” she said.
Other services include antenatal care such as palpation, blood pressure and height measurement, iron and folate supplements, multiple micronutrient supplements for pregnant women, HIV counseling and birth registration.
