UNICEF extends aid to 15 local governments

Before the recent expansion, the MNCH services of the UNICEF covered Machina and Yunusari LGAs only.

Statistics by UNICEF and other development partners show that in Nigeria, 53, 000 women die annually as a result of pregnancy-related illnesses and every 10 minutes, a woman dies due to complications of pregnancy. The major reason for this is that only a little more than 37percent of all births in the country are attended to by skilled health personnel.

Yobe State was tagged the highest in the northeast of Nigeria in terms of maternal and child mortality.

Our correspondent reports that a one week MNCH intervention by the UNICEF in collaboration with Primary Healthcare unit was held in all the 17 LGAs of Yobe State in which children were immunized against child killer diseases including hepatitis, DPT, measles, yellow fever among others.

Hundreds of children were also dewormed and their growth monitored by health officials while mothers were sensitised on key household practices such as exclusive breastfeeding and hand washing.

The ward head of Tsohuwar Nguru, Alhaji Shuwami Galadima, said his people have been adequately mobilised to avail their children and pregnant wives and nursing mothers to participate in the programme.