The Lagos State Government on Saturday formally flagged off the second round of the Year 2025 Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health Plus Nutrition (MNCAH+N) Week, reaffirming its commitment to improving survival, nutrition and wellbeing outcomes for women, children and adolescents across the state.

The flag-off ceremony, held at the Mushin Local Government Secretariat, brought together government officials, traditional and community leaders, development partners and health workers, as the state commenced another intensive five-day outreach of free, high-impact and cost-effective primary healthcare services.

Flagging off the programme, the First Lady of Lagos State, Dr. (Mrs.) Claudiana Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, said the MNCAH+N Week remained one of the state’s most historic and impactful public health interventions, noting that it originated in Lagos before becoming a national programme in 2010.

She explained that the Week provides an opportunity for residents to improve health-seeking behaviour while accessing free interventions across public primary healthcare facilities, particularly for pregnant women, nursing mothers, children and adolescents.

The First Lady noted that despite Lagos’ large population and high migration rate, the state has continued to record improvements in key maternal and child health indicators, adding that sustained commitment and collective action would further accelerate progress.

Quoting recent data, she disclosed that Lagos currently records an under-five mortality rate of 36 per 1,000 live births, a neonatal mortality rate of 25 per 1,000 live births and an infant mortality rate of 46 per 1,000 live births, while maternal mortality reduced from 555 per 100,000 live births in 2010 to 430 per 100,000 in 2022. “I am optimistic that it would have been better by now considering all the ongoing efforts of the state government”, she said.

Dr. Sanwo-Olu stressed the importance of nutrition in child survival, revealing that Lagos is one of the states fully committed to UNICEF’s Nutrition Match Funding Initiative, with a $100,000 state contribution leveraged to procure nutrition commodities worth $200,000 for vulnerable children.

“Our Nutrition Indices reflect that concerted efforts of caregivers, community leaders, religious and traditional leader are required to improve the nutritional status of our children, nursing mothers and pregnant women”, Dr. Sanwo-Olu stated.

She listed services available during the Week to include Vitamin A supplementation for children aged 6–59 months, multiple micronutrient supplements for pregnant women, free malaria screening and treatment, family planning services, adolescent health interventions and counselling on healthy lifestyles.

The First Lady also issued a strong warning against patronage of quacks and unregistered birth attendants, urging community leaders to report offenders to the Health Facility Monitoring and Accreditation Agency, while reiterating the state’s zero tolerance for rape and domestic violence, with free care available at public facilities.

In her opening remarks, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Health, Dr. (Mrs.) Kemi Ogunyemi, represented by the Coordinating Director, Lagos State Ministry of Health, Dr. Folashade Oludara, described the MNCAH+N Week as a reliable platform for delivering preventive healthcare directly to families.

She said the initiative strengthens the primary healthcare system by deploying trained health workers and essential commodities across all LGAs and LCDAs, offering services such as growth monitoring, deworming, nutrition screening, antenatal and postnatal care, iron and folic acid supplementation and adolescent-friendly services.

Dr. Ogunyemi assured residents that preparations for the second round were thorough, with services scheduled to run from Monday, December 15 to Friday, December 19, 2025, daily from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at all designated centres and outreach points.

Earlier, the Chairman of Mushin Local Government Area, Hon. Tubosun Haruna Aruwe, welcomed guests to the council, describing the MNCAH+N Week as a critical intervention aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals and the health agenda of the Sanwo-Olu administration.

He urged residents, especially pregnant women, nursing mothers, children and adolescents, to fully utilise the free services available across primary healthcare centres during the programme period.

Goodwill messages from community leaders, including the Baale of Mushin, Chief Jelili Aregbe, the Iyaloja of Mushin, Alhaja Borokini-Tabiat, and the CDC Chairman, Mr. Femi Okunyemi, commended the state for prioritising maternal, child and adolescent health.

They expressed optimism that the programme would reach every household in Mushin and beyond, delivering improved health outcomes, hope and wellbeing to families across the community.

In his closing remarks, the Permanent Secretary, Lagos Health District VI, Dr. Olufemi Omololu, thanked the First Lady, state government, Mushin Local Government, development partners and health workers for their collective efforts in strengthening primary healthcare delivery.

He encouraged residents to take full advantage of the life-saving services throughout the Week, stressing that sustained community participation was essential to achieving better health outcomes.

Following the ceremony, the First Lady, accompanied by members of the Committee of Wives of Lagos State Officials (COWLSO) and top government officials, toured designated health stands, administered immunisation to eligible children and encouraged health workers and volunteers at the venue.

The MNCAH+N Week will hold from Monday, 15th December to Friday, 19th December 2025, with services running daily from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at all primary health centres and approved outreach points across the state, including centres catering for under-five children. Parents, caregivers, teachers, youth groups and community leaders have been urged to support the initiative by ensuring that children, pregnant women and adolescents fully utilise the free and life-saving services provided during the Week.

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