Scaling-up MMS To Reverse Anaemia In Pregnancy

Motherhood, for practical purposes, is a fulfilling experience for most women, but this is not to say it doesn’t have downsides. The challenges of pregnancy, birth and mothering are well known and could quite frustrating for the average woman particularly those living in the rural areas/hard to reach communities.

Couple with these challenges which ranges from high blood pressure, gestational diabetes, infection, preeclampsia, preterm labor and depression & anxiety, among others, is the difficult economic climate which has compelled many pregnant women to modify their diets from healthy to budget-conscious.

One of such pregnant women is Mrs Onome Karo, who is three months pregnant. Though Mrs Karo affirmed that the nurses told her to eat a lot of fruits, vegetables and local food like beans, egg, fish etc, she does not have the financial muscles to afford them.

“My husband has not be paid salary for the past seven months. I have been the only one managing the home with my POS business, which is not very lucrative. As a pregnant woman, i supposed to be taking a lot of vegetables and fruits,  but i truly cannot afford them. I  struggle to eat three times a day and when I do eat, it will be either ‘concoction rice  and eba/Okro soup,” she lamented.

The head, food and nutrition division, Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, Chito Nelson, told LEADERSHIP at the ‘Civil Society-Scaling Up Nutrition in Nigeria CS-SUNN’s two-day Media Capacity Strengthening For Improved Visibility Of Anaemia Reduction Through Scale-Up Of MMS In Nigeria’, that Mrs Karo could end up suffering from anaemia, a situation where the body lacks vital vitamins and minerals.

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As the Nigerian economy bites harder, Nelson feared that the prevalence of anaemia among pregnant women and children (which is currently at 58 per cent for women of reproductive age and 68 per cent for under-5 children, according to the Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey, NDHS 2018), would get worse.

On the effect of anaemia on mothers, Nelson disclosed that maternal and fetal well-being are adversely affected; there is increased morbidity and fetal mortality; pregnant women experiencing breathing difficulties, fainting, tiredness, palpitation and sleep difficulties; there is increased risk of developing perinatal infection; pre-eclampsia; complication of labour and even death and postpartum cognitive impairment.

On the consequences of anaemia on the Fetus, Nelson said anaemia can lead to stillbirth; pre-term delivery; intrauterine growth retardation; congenital malformations; reduced immunocompetence and abnormal organ development.

To tackle anaemia in pregnant women, the head of food and nutrition however advocated nationwide rollout of Multiple Micronutrient Supplements (MMS), a tiny pill which is safe, cost effective and affordable.

“MMS has 15 vitamins and minerals, including Iron and Folic Acid Supplement (IFAS) recommended dosage. Now is the time to accelerate implementation of MMS in Nigeria and address key issues such as ensuring effective and equitable coverage and a sustainable supply of the supplement across all nook and cranny of Nigeria” she advocated.

Nutrition officer, Federal Ministry of Health, Beatrice Ali, while speaking on the need to transition from IFAS to MMS, said, “MMS contains 30mg of iron similar benefit on maternal anaemia compared with IFA (Containing 30mmg or 60mg of iron). MMS reduced the risk of Low Birth Weight by 13 per cent in comparison to IFAS.”

Explaining further, Ali said, MMS contain 62 per cent of Vitamin A 800mg; 58 per cent Vitamin C (As ascorbic Acid) 70mg; Vitamin D(as Cholecalcerferol) (200IU); Vitamin E (As Tacophenyl Succinate);

53 per cent of Vitamin B-1 (as Thiamine Mononitrite) 10mg; 88 per cent of Vitamin B-2 (Riboflavin) 1.4mg; 100 per cent Vitamin B-3 (as Niacinamide) 1.8mg and 95 per cent of Vitamin B-6 (Riboflavin HCL) 1.9mg.

Others are 113 per cent Folate (as Folic acid) 680mcg DFE/400mcg; 93 per cent Vitamin B-12( as Cyanocobalamine 2.6mcg; 111 per cent of Iron (as Ferrous Fumerate) 30mcg; 52 per cent Iodine (as Potassium Iodide) 150mcg; 115 per cent Zinc (as Zinc Oxide) 15mg; 93 per cent Selenum (as Sodium Selenite) 65mcg and Copper (as Cupric Oxide), she added.

Meanwhile, it will cost the Nigerian government $26,520,000 for the procurement of MMS, to effectively tackle anaemia in all pregnant women in Nigeria, nutrition officer at the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Yadika Charles told LEADERSHIP.

Explaining further, Charles said, “There are about 7.8 million pregnant women in Nigeria. Meanwhile, a bottle of MMS (containing 180 pills) cost $3.4. It will cost Nigeria $26.5 million to ensure that pregnant women have access to a bottle of MMS.”

On states that have made commitment for the transitioning from IFAS to MMS, Charles disclosed that, Plateau, Kwara, Katsina, Jigawa, Gombe, Adamawa and Borno states have made commitment to rollout MMS, while calling on other states to follow suit. “UNICEF is ready to assist states who have made commitment to procuring MMS,” he affirmed.

While MMS has the potential to tackle anaemia in pregnancy, CS-SUNN executive secretary, Mr. Sunday Okoronkwo has tasked policymakers to make this life saving Supplement available for all pregnant women in Nigeria. “Anemia’s impact on health, cognitive development, and overall productivity is a barrier we must dismantle for the prosperity and well-being of our communities,” he added.