Follow Us on Google
From Priscilla Ediare, Ado-Ekiti
The Ekiti government has charged nursing mothers and caregivers to embrace proper and optimal breastfeeding practices for the appropriate growth and development of infants and young children in the state.
The State Commissioner for Health and Human Services, Dr Oyebanji Filani, gave the charge during the opening ceremony of a nine-day Training of Trainers on Maternal, Infant and Young Child Nutrition (MIYCN) held in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital.
Dr Filani, represented at the workshop by the Director-General of the Ekiti State Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr Ayodele Seluwa, disclosed that the first 1,000 days of life provide a critical window of opportunity for ensuring the appropriate growth of children, especially when exposed to optimal feeding practices.
According to the commissioner, over two-thirds of malnutrition-related deaths occur in the first year of life in Nigeria, often associated with inappropriate feeding practices.
The commissioner expressed appreciation to the Governor of the state, Biodun Oyebanji, and the Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Mohammed Ali Pate, for providing the necessary support and approving the institutionalisation of the MIYCN course in the 36 states of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
He also commended the World Bank Accelerating Nutrition Results in Nigeria (ANRiN) project and the Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH) for providing financial support to build the capacity of key decision-makers and programme officers to deliver optimal MIYCN information and services to individuals, households, and communities.
Other News
Dr Filani urged all participants to participate actively in the training aimed at reducing the malnutrition burden in the state.
In her remarks, the State Nutrition Officer, Dr Bolanle Olorunyomi, stated that nutrition is one of the determinants of good health and thus requires universal coverage.
Olorunyomi noted that the training would not only build the capacity of health workers to deliver quality Maternal, Infant and Young Child Nutrition services but would also provide counselling and support to enable mothers and caregivers to practise optimal nutrition.
She disclosed that the training would be stepped down at primary and secondary facilities in the state for optimal MIYCN service delivery.
Eighty-one participants drawn from the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the World Bank ANRiN project, the State Ministry of Health, National and State Primary Health Care Development Agencies, Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital, the Ministry of Information, the Ministry of Budget, and other relevant agencies participated in the training exercise.
Participants are expected to undergo training in areas relating to improving counselling skills, adolescent and maternal nutrition, breastfeeding, breastfeeding difficulties, and complementary feeding.
