Follow Us on Google
Maternal, Newborn, Child, Adolescent Health and Nutrition (MNCAH+N), according to World Health Organisation (WHO) refers to an integrated approach to healthcare that aims to ensure the survival, health and wellbeing of women, new borns, children and adolescents by providing essential health and nutrition services throughout the life course.
The overarching goal of MNCAH+N, however, is to reduce preventable maternal, new born, child and adolescent deaths, improve nutritional outcomes, and ensure that every woman, child and adolescent has access to quality healthcare without financial hardship.
In Nigeria, MNCAH+N Week is a periodic campaign during which these essential services are provided free of charge at primary healthcare centres and outreach sites to increase access, especially for underserved communities.
In Lagos State this week, thousands of families are being offered that opportunity as the government rolls out another edition of the Maternal, Newborn, Child, Adolescent Health and Nutrition (MNCAH+N) Week, bringing free essential healthcare services closer to communities.
The first round of the 2026 exercise, which runs from July 20 to 24, is providing free maternal, child and nutrition services at all public primary healthcare centres and designated outreach sites across the state. The initiative targets pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers, children under five, adolescents and, for selected preventive services, men.
Residents are receiving a wide range of interventions including routine immunisation, Vitamin A supplementation, deworming, antenatal and postnatal care, family planning services, nutrition counselling, tuberculosis screening, HIV counselling and testing, growth monitoring and health education.
Beyond delivering free healthcare, the programme reinforces a simple message of preventive healthcare saves lives, reduces medical costs and strengthens families.
The ceremony was also used to address some of the health challenges threatening the wellbeing.
Representing wife of Lagos State governor, Dr. Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, wife of the Deputy Governor, Mrs. Oluremi Hamzat, described the campaign as a strategic intervention designed to increase access to high-impact, cost-effective healthcare services while encouraging positive health-seeking behaviour.
Patronage of quacks result in avoidable complications
She warned expectant mothers against seeking care from unqualified birth attendants, stressing that patronage of quacks continues to result in avoidable complications and maternal deaths. According to her, government agencies, community leaders and the Traditional Medicine Board must intensify efforts to identify and prosecute illegal practitioners whose activities endanger lives.
She also drew attention to broader social issues affecting public health, revealing that more than 4,000 rape cases were reported in Lagos in 2025, while substance abuse among adolescents remains a growing concern. She urged residents to report incidents of domestic and sexual violence through the state’s toll-free line and assured victims of government’s commitment to ensuring justice.
Her message underscored the reality that healthcare extends beyond hospitals to include protection from violence, access to reliable information and the adoption of healthy lifestyles.
Other News
She reiterated that more than 4.19 million children received Vitamin A supplements, while over 4.36 million children were dewormed during earlier rounds of the programme. “More than 17,500 pregnant women and nursing mothers also benefited from antenatal and postnatal services, while over 216,900 women and men accessed family planning services.”
Maternal, child mortality remains public health concerns
Special Adviser to the Governor on Health, Dr. Kemi Ogunyemi, noted that the initiative has become one of Lagos State’s most impactful public health programmes. She recalled that the concept originated in Lagos before being adopted nationally by the National Council on Health in 2010.
Despite improvements in healthcare delivery, she observed that maternal and child mortality remain significant public health concerns. She therefore encouraged parents, caregivers and individuals who have missed routine healthcare appointments to take advantage of the ongoing free services.
Ogunyemi also acknowledged the contributions of development partners, including United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the Gates Foundation and Agrim Pharmaceuticals, whose support continues to strengthen the programme’s reach and effectiveness.
Also, Lagos Chief of Office, UNICEF, Celine Lafoucriere, commended the Lagos State Government for sustaining investments in maternal and child health, noting that Lagos is home to approximately three million children under the age of five.
She disclosed that UNICEF supported the current exercise with Vitamin A capsules, micronutrient supplements and community mobilisation efforts while encouraging the state to successfully implement the second round of the programme before the end of November.
Fresh commitment to community healthcare
Similarly, the Centre for Clinical Care and Clinical Research Nigeria (CCCRN) reaffirmed its commitment to supporting community-based health interventions, while Agrim Pharmaceutical Healthcare Industry pledged continued partnership through the provision of healthcare products.
At the grassroots level, Oshodi-Isolo Local Government highlighted ongoing investments in primary healthcare infrastructure, including the construction and rehabilitation of health centres aimed at improving access to quality healthcare.
Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Dr. Dayo Lajide, urged residents to become advocates for healthy living by encouraging friends, neighbours and relatives to patronise government healthcare facilities.
As the first round of the 2026 MNCAH+N Week concludes tomorrow, the campaign leaves behind an important reminder that preventing disease is often more effective than treating it. By bringing free healthcare directly to communities, strengthening partnerships and encouraging residents to seek professional medical care, Lagos continues to invest in a healthier future where preventable maternal and child deaths become increasingly rare and quality healthcare remains within everyone’s reach.
