Bukola Afeni
As Nigeria joins the global community to celebrate World Health Day, the World Health Organization has emphasized the need for collective action to ensure a healthier future for the citizens.
The World Health Organization (WHO) Country Representative and Head of Mission to Nigeria, Dr. Walter Kazadi Mulombo disclosed this during the “Walk the Talk” awareness program in Abuja to mark the World Health Day celebration.
While speaking on this year’s theme, “Healthy Beginning, Hopeful Future, “he highlighted the importance of investing in the health of mothers and children to create a brighter future for the country.
He disclosed that the MAMI (Mother and Malnourished Infant) initiative is one of the programs aimed at promoting healthy beginnings for mothers and children.
Mulombo added that the initiative provides support to mothers and caregivers to ensure that infants and young children receive proper nutrition and care.
“We are hopeful that we will, by example, provide your offspring with a healthy beginning so that every child that will be born will be born healthy, and will have the opportunity to grow, thrive, and prosper.”
In the same vein, he said the MAMI initiative is targeted at strengthening healthcare services and reducing maternal mortality rates in the country.
“We would continue to work closely with the Nigerian government, healthcare workers, and other partners to improve maternal and neonatal health outcomes in the country”, he said.
The Director of Health Planning and Research, Kamil Shoretire, noted that the importance of good antenatal care, and skilled attendants is essential during delivery, immunization and after birth.
“We want mothers to have good antenatal care, good and excellent delivery in the hands of skilled attendants,”
“When the baby is born, we want to start the immunization immediately after birth and also breastfeeding”.
