In celebration of the 2024 World Breastfeeding and Maternal, Newborn, Child, and Adolescent Health Plus Nutrition Week, the Lagos State Government is gearing up for various impactful interventions. These initiatives are aimed at promoting exclusive breastfeeding and enhancing health-seeking behaviors, particularly among mothers and children under five years of age.
During a press briefing on the government’s preparations for the week-long activities, Dr. Kemi Ogunyemi, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Health, highlighted the state’s commitment to improving the health-seeking behavior of the general population. She indicated that all 329 primary health care centers, 752 mobile teams, and over 3,000 health workers have been trained and equipped with implementation strategies for the upcoming activities.
As part of the activities, mobile teams will be visiting creches, schools, and playgrounds to administer deworming tablets and vitamin A to eligible children. Dr. Ogunyemi explained that the MNCAH+N Week, organized by the Federal Ministry of Health in collaboration with the states, aims to enhance maternal and child health interventions in a cost-effective manner.
The 2024 MNCAH+N Week, slated for August 1 to 7, coincides with the World Breastfeeding Week, providing an opportunity for both initiatives to be implemented simultaneously. The significance of breastfeeding in ensuring the survival and optimal growth of infants under two years of age will be highlighted during this period.
This year’s theme for the World Breastfeeding Week is “Closing the Gap, Breastfeeding Support for All,” as emphasized by the Special Adviser. A nutritionist, Ms. Uju Onuorah, emphasized the long-term health benefits of breastfeeding, mentioning a lower risk of Type 1 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and obesity in later stages of life.
Breastfeeding not only provides essential nutrients for newborns but also offers advantages that extend into adulthood, as highlighted by Onuorah in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Abuja.