The United Nations Children’s Fund, in collaboration with the Imo Government and with support from the Gates Foundation, has initiated efforts to strengthen maternal and child nutrition.
The organisation’s Chief of Enugu Field Office, Mrs Juliet Chiluwe, disclosed this during Thursday’s meeting of the state Ministry of Health, Imo Primary Healthcare Development Agency and UNICEF in Owerri.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the meeting was convened to review and validate the nutrition Social Behaviour Change (SBC) strategy for Imo and the integration of Multiple Micronutrient Supplementation (MMS) for pregnant women.
Chiluwe commended the Imo Government for its commitment to investing in human capital, health and sustainable development.
She gave assurance that UNICEF, with support from Gates Foundation, would continue to advance the nutrition agenda.
She described MMS as a “cost-effective intervention that helps reduce anaemia, low birth weight, stillbirths, and other adverse maternal and child health outcomes”.
Chiluwe called for strong government ownership, coordinated implementation, and increased domestic investment.
