The Kano State Government has launched the 2025 First Round of Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Week (MNCHW), a statewide initiative providing essential health services to children and pregnant women across all 44 Local Government Areas.
UNICEF’s Chief of Field Office in Kano, Rahama Rihood Mohammed Farah, at the flagged off ceremony in Birji Primary Healthcare Centre, Madobi Local Government Area, describe Kano as a model for consistency in health, nutrition, and WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) interventions.
Kano, with a population of over 17 million, includes about 3.5 million under-five children and 900,000 pregnant women. Farah noted that UNICEF is supporting the initiative with Vitamin A supplements and Multiple Micronutrient Supplementation (MMS) for over 2.6 million children and 500,000 pregnant women.
He urged the state government to invest more in healthcare delivery and allocate sufficient funding to improve health and nutrition outcomes for women and children. He also called on Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf to increase paid maternity leave and boost workforce capacity to enable round-the-clock service delivery.
Flagging off the campaign on behalf of Governor Yusuf, Deputy Governor, Abdulsalam Aminu Gwarzo said the programme would offer a wide range of healthcare services, including child immunisation, Vitamin A supplementation, distribution of mosquito nets to pregnant women, deworming of children, antenatal care services, and birth registration.
Gwarzo also announced the free distribution of maternal and newborn commodities, including delivery packs and antenatal drugs to prevent anaemia and malaria in pregnancy.
He added that the government is working with global partners to distribute insecticide-treated mosquito nets and implement seasonal malaria chemotherapy, while also providing essential drugs for hypertension and diabetes patients at no cost.
Gwarzo further explained that the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine has been integrated into routine immunisation schedules. “The vaccine is safe and effective against the virus strain that causes cervical cancer,” he said.
The initiative, he noted, is expected to significantly reduce maternal mortality, lower out-of-pocket spending on healthcare, and prevent diseases such as cervical cancer.
PIAK