Objectives
Routine health service in Nigeria remain weak and fragmented, thus there is a need for alternative platforms to deliver key health and nutrition interventions. The Government initiated the Maternal New-born and Child Health Week (MNCHW) programme in 2010 with the objective of improving the population health and nutrition status.
Methods
MNCHW takes place twice a year, designed to bring children and women to primary healthcare facilities to received key interventions.
Results
Since the inception of MNCHW in 2010, the basket of interventions delivered through this platform has increased. Initially vitamin A supplementation (VAS) was the only intervention provided consistently in all 37 States. On the back of successful community mobilisation, the platform evolved from the being vitamin A campaign to an integrated biannual health and nutrition service delivery campaign. To date, 45 million children have received Penta and Oral Polio vaccines. Seven million pregnant women have received Tetanus Toxoid vaccine and 3.1 million children have been birth registered during the campaign. In the last two rounds HIV counselling has been provided to 325,982 mothers.
Conclusions
Vitamin A supplementation through MNCHW provided the basis for wider health system strengthening in Nigeria. This has provided the opportunity for millions of children and women to receive critical lifesaving interventions. MNCHW has, and will continue to, contribute to reductions in child and maternal mortality in Nigeria. It has enhanced trust towards Government facilities helping to revitalise the health system.
