Bukola Afeni
The Civil Society Scaling Up Nutrition in Nigeria (CS-SUNN) is calling on the FCT Administration to approve and implement six-month paid maternity leave and to fully leverage the opportunities presented by the Child Nutrition Fund.
The Executive Secretary, Sunday Okoronkwo, made the disclosure at a one-day State Level Media Dialogue and Stakeholder Engagement in Abuja.
The Executive Secretary disclosed that the Child Nutrition Fund presents a transformative opportunity for the FCT to thrive in the aspect of nutrition outcome.
“The Child Nutrition Fund is designed to catalyse large-scale investments in nutrition by enabling governments to leverage co-financing and expand access to high-impact, evidence-based interventions”.
In the same vein, he emphasized the urgent need to implement six-month paid maternity leave. “This is not only a matter of social protection but a proven, evidence-based intervention that directly improves child survival and development.
Many mothers in the FCT are unable to practice Exclusive Breastfeeding due to workplace constraints and inadequate policy support,” he said.
Okoronkwo highlighted that by adopting and implementing six-month paid maternity leave, the FCT will be taking a bold step towards safeguarding the health of its youngest citizens while also promoting a more supportive and productive workforce.
The Executive Secretary of the FCT Primary Healthcare Board, Dr. Ruqqaya Wamakko, is urging government and stakeholders to support the board’s efforts in combating anaemia in pregnant women and improving healthcare services in the Federal Capital Territory.
“The board is supplying Multiple Micronutrient Supplementation (MMS) in Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs) and secondary facilities to prevent anaemia in pregnant women. A lot has been done to prevent anaemia in women through MMS distribution and healthcare worker training. However, the dynamic population of FCT, with many people moving into the territory with their families, poses a great challenge.”
“We are appealing for support to ensure that women in the Federal Capital Territory are not anaemic. We want our pregnant women to carry their pregnancy to full term and deliver healthy babies. We are calling on the Minister of Health and other stakeholders to support pregnant women in the FCT with MMS.”
The Program Officer of Civil Society Scaling Up Nutrition (CS-SUNN), Ambrose Evhoesor, urged the media to engage in constant advocacy regarding implementation of six months’ paid maternity leave in the FCT.
“The media need to inform stakeholders and policymakers at all levels to intensify messaging about the implementation of six months’ paid maternity leave. We want to ensure that during the six months of maternity leave, the nursing mothers are not being denied their pay.”
“We want to ensure that every child is exclusively breastfed, because a child that is not properly breastfed for 6 months of life will eventually become malnourished.”
He also urged the government, both at state and national level, to improve funding for nutrition in the country.
“We want you to amplify stories that will ensure that state governors and the FCT Minister invest in the Child Nutrition Fund. There is a need to create a nutrition department across key secretariats.”
