UNICEF Launches Micronutrients Supplement For Pregnant Mothers In Bauchi

In an effort to improve maternal indices in Bauchi State, the state government, in collaboration with UNICEF and Alive and Thrive, has launched the scale-up of Multiple Micronutrient Supplements for pregnant mothers.

According to the UN agency, the scale-up of multiple micronutrient supplements for pregnant mothers is an initiative funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) and implemented in partnership with the federal and Bauchi State governments.

The scale up of MMS for pregnant women aligns with the Nigerian government’s plan to reduce anemia among pregnant women to 40 per cent by 2025. It also feeds into the SDG 2030 goal of reducing anaemia among pregnant women by 50 per cent by 2030.

Speaking at the inception meeting for the Scaling Up of Multiple Micronutrient Supplements for Pregnant Women in Bauchi, the UNICEF Bauchi Field Office Nutrition Specialist, Philomena Irene, said that the lifesaving initiative is expected to strengthen the ante-natal platforms to deliver high impact maternal nutrition interventions in Bauchi State.

According to her the initiative is expected to strengthen the ante-natal platforms to deliver high impact maternal nutrition interventions in Bauchi State.

She added that NDHIS 2018 shows that only 23 per cent of the 381,364 pregnant women in Bauchi State receive iron and folic acid supplementation, which is crucial in reducing the risk of low birth weight, maternal anaemia, and iron deficiency.

Irene announced that under the scale-up, Bauchi State has received 134,280 bottles of MMS and more will be supplied as the project implementation progresses.

She further said the initiative will also strengthen the capacity of health workers to effectively forecast and update MMS administration to pregnant women in Bauchi State on the Logistics Health Management Information System (LHIMS) and DHIS 2 platforms.

“For this innovation to be sustained, UNICEF will work with the Bauchi State Government to ensure MMS is included in the annual state procurement Plan and that funds are released through the Child Nutrition Fund for the procurement of MMS,” Philomena added.

She assured that UNICEF will continue to support the Bauchi State government in mitigating the effects of anemia in pregnancy and scaling up MMS for all pregnant women.

For his part, the Executive Chairman of Bauchi State Primary Health Development Agency, Dr. Rilwanu Mohammed, recalled that last year, three LGAs, Dass, Giade, and Ganjua, were initially selected for a Multiple Micronutrient Supplement intervention for pregnant mothers.

He explained that the intervention has now been scaled up to remaining local government areas of the state because there are still cases of pregnant mothers who suffer from anaemia, having underweight babies, and abortions, amongst others.

Also speaking, the state coordinator of Alive and Thrive, Mr Chidi Ebere, said that the organisation is implementing the acceleration of maternal, Infant, child, and Nutrition programmes in the state, adding that it is now creating demand in communities in the state for Multiple Micronutrient Supplement intervention.

He said that the NGO will train its community volunteers to create awareness at the community level and train health workers on their responsibilities regarding Multiple Micronutrient Supplements in their health facilities.