Kwara State government says it targets over 800,000 women of reproductive age, most especially pregnant women and about 2 million children less than five years across 193 wards of the state for free distribution of low-cost high-impact interventions in its health facilities.

Speaking at the flag off of maternal, newborn and child health week in Ilorin on Monday, the executive secretary of the state Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr Nusirat Elelu, said that the distribution would be made during the week celebration, adding that the Week is a decision of the National Council of Health.

“During this week-long event, 10 high-impact and life-saving interventions targeted at improving the health and the general well-being of our mothers and children would be delivered across all nooks and crannies of the state for FREE.

"These interventions would range from Vitamin A supplementation, Intensification of Immunization, De-worming, Ante-natal Services, Family Planning services, HIV testing, Malaria services, Birth registration, Health promotion on Key Household Practices (KHHP) and many more”, she said.

Dr Elelu said that the programme aimed to reverse the trend of unacceptable high morbidity and mortality among mothers and children, adding that the programme had in the past recorded success in improving the health status of women and children in the country and in Kwara State.

The executive secretary, who appreciated development partners like the World Bank through the ANRIN project, UNICEF as well as the state government and other stakeholders supporting the programme, called on all mothers and caregivers, to bring their children to the nearest health facility and take advantage of the week, “dedicated to mothers and children by the state government”.

Also speaking, the state commissioner for Health, Dr Raji Razaq, implored men, religious and traditional leaders to support the programme by giving consent and creating awareness of the importance of the programme.

The commissioner said that the week-long delivery of health interventions also aimed at improving health seeking behaviour of the populace by returning people to the health facility as against the house-to-house campaign.

“Being fully aware of the role of Primary Health Care in achieving Universal Health Coverage, the Kwara State government in its efforts has made Routine Immunization and Primary Health Care, in general, a priority. This is evident in the establishment of the State Primary Health Care Development Agency backed by Law and ongoing effort to bring Primary Health Care Under One Roof (PHCUOR)”.