Nutrition intervention for 10 Million girls – NGO
No fewer than 10 million girls will benefit from Plan International (Nigeria), a non-governmental organisation in health and nutrition intervention.
Mrs Bolanle Oyebola, the Project Director, Plan International Nigeria Accelerating Nutrition Result in Nigeria Project, announced this at the inauguration for the First Round May/June 2022 Maternal Newborn and Child Health Week in Minna on Monday.
Oyebola, represented by Dr Uchenna Prince, Nutrition and Behaviour Change Communication Coordinator in Niger, said that the organisation would support girls who might not have access to education to learn, lead, decide and thrive to reach their goals.
“Our goal is to help in addressing the barriers the girls faced, one of which barriers is poor health and nutrition,” he said.
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She said that the organisation was implementing the project in 12 local government areas of the state, adding that the project had improved access to quality and cost-effective micro-nutrient supplements.
According to him, supplement such as iron and folic acid, vitamin A, micronutrient powder, anti-malaria prophylaxis in pregnancy anti-thelminth, zinc /ORS and have promoted positive behavioural change practices in women, men and peer groups.
Oyebola, however, said that the intervention would focus on improving the health and nutrition of women, girls and children in communities through the provision of micronutrient supplementation and other life-saving nutritional services.
In her address, Dr Amina Bello, the wife of the governor of Niger, said that the intervention was to sustain awareness of the importance of the health of women and children as well as to sensitise and mobilise communities to uptake healthcare services.
She called on all pregnant mothers and everyone to embrace the culture of encouraging women to go for antenatal and routine immunisation programmes.
Bello urged wives of the local government chairmen as well as traditional and religious leaders to rise to healthcare challenges to reduce maternal and infant mortality.
State Commissioner for Health Muhammed Makusidi also said the intervention was aimed at sensitising caregivers and providing long-lasting insecticide nets for women and children.
NAN reports that the programme was organised by Niger Primary Health Care Development Agency in collaboration with partner agencies such as Plan International, UNICEF and WHO, among others.
