The United Nations Youngsters’s Fund , UNICEF has expressed concern over the low consumption of iron and folic acid dietary supplements by pregnant ladies in Bauchi State.
Diet Specialist with UNICEF, Philomena Irene, made this recognized on Tuesday throughout a one-day inception assembly targeted on scaling up A number of Micronutrient Dietary supplements (MMS) for pregnant ladies.
Citing the 2018 Nationwide Demographic Well being Info Survey (NDHIS), Irene revealed that solely 23 p.c of the 381,364 pregnant ladies in Bauchi State obtain iron and folic acid supplementation, a vital measure to scale back the dangers of low start weight, maternal anemia, and iron deficiency.
That is as she disclosed that below the brand new scale-up initiative, Bauchi State has acquired 134,280 bottles of a number of micronutrient dietary supplements, MMS, with extra provides anticipated because the challenge progresses.
The Diet specialist said additional that UNICEF will collaborate with the Bauchi State Authorities to make sure MMS is integrated into the state’s annual procurement plans, including that funds for MMS procurement will likely be allotted by way of the Little one Diet Fund.
DAILY POST studies that the life-saving initiative organised by the state authorities in collaboration with UNICEF and Alive and Thrive, is funded by the Invoice and Melinda Gates Basis, BMGF.
“We’re right here right now to launch the scale-up of a number of micronutrient dietary supplements with the goal of bettering being pregnant outcomes in Bauchi State,” Irene said.
She additional defined that the initiative will strengthen antenatal care platforms, enabling the supply of high-impact maternal diet interventions throughout the state.
Irene added that it’ll additionally construct the capability of well being staff to precisely forecast and handle MMS distribution to pregnant ladies utilizing the Logistics Well being Administration Info System (LHIMS) and DHIS 2 platforms.
“The dimensions-up of MMS for pregnant ladies aligns with Nigeria’s purpose to scale back anemia amongst pregnant ladies by 40 p.c by 2025 and contributes to the Sustainable Improvement Purpose (SDG) of decreasing anemia amongst pregnant ladies by 50 p.c by 2030.’’
Irene assured me that UNICEF will proceed to help the Bauchi State Authorities in mitigating anemia in being pregnant and lengthening MMS protection to all pregnant ladies within the state.
