Health
AN NGO, Nutrition International, supported by Canadian Government, says its team visited 5,603 homes in some communities in Katsina State to educate the people on iron and folic acid uptake during pregnancy.
The group’s State Coordinator, Mr Sani Umar, made this known at a one-day advocacy and dissemination meeting on implementation of Gender Mainstreaming/Behavioural Change Intervention (BCI) on Antenatal Care (ANC), Iron and Folic Acid Uptake.
He explained that the enlightenment visits was being implemented through the Society for Women Development and Empowerment of Nigeria (SWODEN) and
Forward in Action for Education, Poverty and Malnutrition (FAcE-PaM).
Umar said that through the visits, the team trained community health service providers and male motivators, sensitised 58,509 people, 39,866 males and 18,643 women on misconceptions about iron and folic acid uptake during pregnancy.
The coordinator said that the measure was aimed at improving the health of pregnant women and their infants through regular ANC and increased male participation.
He, therefore, urged husbands, religious and traditional leaders and other stakeholders to intensify efforts in collaborating with the team to achieve the set objectives.
He said “state and local governments should support the continuity of this low cost, but high impact project. Nutrition International is committed to supporting Katsina State in reducing maternal and child mortality.”
In his presentation, the Project Officer of SWODEN, Mr Tajuddeen Maaruf, said the communities visited were in Batagarawa, Charanchi, Daura, Dutsi, Mashi, Mani, Kaita and Rimi local government areas.
The misconceptions, he said, included the believe that iron and folic acid uptake made it difficult for women to have life birth, as it makes the unborn child to grow very big.
“Some people believe that women that go to health facility to deliver are weak, while those who deliver at home are stronger.
“Some women also believe that traditional herbs are better than the drugs given to pregnant women in hospitals.
On his part, the Project Officer of FAcE-PaM, Mr Hussaini Abba, said 9,860 women received messages on behavioural change intervention during ANC monthly under the project.
Abba added that an average of 1,088 women received messages on BCI during home visits by trained Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs) and Volunteer Community Mobilisers (VCMs) every month.
The officer listed observed challenges to include out-of-stock iron and folic acid in some facilities, high cost of transportation to the facilities for ANC, inadequate health personnel, staff transfer.
Iron and folic acid uptake are important to pregnant women as they reduce the risk of low birth weight, maternal anaemia and iron deficiency, among others. (NAN)
24th March, 2024.
C.E
Tags: Nutrition International Sani Umar
