Child Health Week In Kebbi, Veneman participated in the launch of the first-ever National Child Health Week in Nigeria, which will provide life-saving immunizations and basic health interventions to mothers and children.
In Kebbi, Veneman participated in the launch of the first ever National Child Health Week in Nigeria which will provide life saving immunizations and basic health interventions, to mothers and children.
The poor MNCH outcomes observed in Nigeria are partly attributable to the low coverage and uptake of basic health interventions that would be effective in preventing maternal and neonatal deaths.
In fact, much of the progress reflected in the new child mortality figures is the result of widespread adoption of basic health interventions such as early and exclusive breastfeeding, measles immunisation, vitamin A supplementation to boost children's immune systems, and the use of insecticide-treated bednets to prevent malaria.
In fact, much of the progress reflected in the new child mortality figures is the result of widespread adoption of basic health interventions such as early and exclusive breastfeeding, measles immunization, vitamin A supplementation to boost children's immune systems, and the use of insecticide-treated bednets to prevent malaria.
Basic health interventions UNICEF Executive Director Ann M. Veneman called the new figures "historic" but also stressed the work that remains to be done.
Much of the progress is the result of the widespread adoption of basic health interventions, such as early and exclusive breast feeding, measles immunization, Vitamin A supplementation and the use of insecticide-treated bed nets to prevent malaria.
"Recent data also indicate encouraging improvements in many of the basic health interventions, such as early and exclusive breast feeding, measles immunization, Vitamin A supplementation, the use of insecticide-treated nets to prevent malaria, and prevention and treatment of HIV/AIDS," said Veneman.
After three years of increasing coverage in basic health interventions, UNICEF estimates that child deaths will have dropped by an average of 20 per cent across the 16 districts where the programme was fully implemented, and by 10 per cent where it was partially applied.
The study could serve as a basis to implement basic public health interventions and prepare for future missions to the same or comparable regions.
Despite the commitment of governments to pursue pro-poor health policies and interventions vigorously, in sub-Saharan Africa the level of inequity in health status and access to basic health care interventions remains high.
