Lagos State Government on Monday flagged off the first round of the 2026 Maternal, Newborn, Child, Adolescent Health and Nutrition (MNCAH+N) Week with a strong call on residents to embrace preventive healthcare, shun unqualified healthcare providers and take advantage of the free life-saving services being offered across the state. The week-long exercise, holding from July 20 to 24, will provide free healthcare services at all public primary healthcare centres and designated sites statewide.

Speaking at the flag-off ceremony held at the Oshodi-Isolo Local Government Secretariat, the First Lady of Lagos State, Dr. (Mrs.) Ibijoke Claudiana Sanwo-Olu, represented by the Wife of the Deputy Governor, Mrs. Oluremi Hamzat, described the MNCAH+N Week as a strategic platform for delivering high-impact, cost-effective healthcare interventions to mothers, children, adolescents and families across Lagos State.

She said the programme would increase access to free healthcare services while encouraging residents to adopt positive health-seeking behaviours through interventions such as Vitamin A supplementation, deworming, family planning, antenatal and postnatal care, immunisation, nutrition counselling, growth monitoring, tuberculosis screening, HIV counselling and testing, and health education.

The First Lady also expressed concern over rising cases of social vices, disclosing that more than 4,000 rape cases were reported in 2025, while illicit drug use among adolescents continued to increase. She urged residents to report cases of domestic and sexual violence through the state’s toll-free line, 08000333333, stressing that government remained committed to protecting vulnerable persons and ensuring perpetrators face justice.

She further warned pregnant women against seeking care from unqualified birth attendants, saying patronage of quacks had continued to result in avoidable complications and deaths. “Our pregnant women should stop seeking services from quacks. I call on the Traditional Medicine Board, law enforcement agencies and community leaders to strengthen monitoring efforts and bring these criminals to justice,” she said.

Highlighting achievements recorded during the previous round of the programme, the First Lady disclosed that over 4.19 million children received Vitamin A supplements, 4.36 million children were dewormed, more than 17,500 pregnant women and nursing mothers accessed antenatal and postnatal services, while over 216,900 women and men benefited from family planning services. She expressed confidence that even more residents would be reached during the current round because health workers had been adequately trained for the exercise.

Earlier, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Health, Dr. (Mrs.) Kemi Ogunyemi, described the MNCAH+N Week as one of Lagos State’s most impactful public health initiatives, noting that the programme was originally developed by Lagos before its adoption nationwide by the National Council on Health in 2010.

According to her, the week-long campaign targets children under five years, pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers and adolescents, while preventive healthcare services will also be available for men. She explained that beneficiaries would receive Vitamin A supplementation, deworming, nutrition screening, routine immunisation, antenatal and postnatal care, family planning services, micronutrient supplements, tuberculosis screening, HIV counselling and testing, as well as counselling on handwashing, substance abuse and gender-based violence.

Dr. Ogunyemi noted that maternal and child mortality remained a major public health concern despite progress recorded over the years. She urged parents and caregivers who had defaulted in routine healthcare to use the outreach as an opportunity to access free services, while appreciating development partners including UNICEF, UNFPA, the Gates Foundation and Agrim Pharmaceuticals for supporting the programme.

In her remarks, the Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Health, Dr. Dayo Lajide, urged residents to become ambassadors of healthy living by encouraging neighbours, relatives and colleagues to patronise government health facilities. She also appreciated Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu for approving the implementation of the programme and reaffirmed government’s commitment to improving healthcare delivery across the state.

The Executive Chairman of Oshodi-Isolo Local Government, Otunba Kehinde Almaroof-Oluyede, said the council remained committed to strengthening primary healthcare through investments in infrastructure, emergency response and routine public health interventions. He cited the ongoing construction of the Ogunlana Primary Health Centre and the rehabilitation of the Ogunoloko Primary Health Centre as part of efforts to improve access to quality healthcare at the grassroots.

Delivering a goodwill message, UNICEF Lagos Chief of Office, Celine Lafoucriere, commended the Lagos State Government for sustaining investments in child nutrition and maternal health, noting that Lagos is home to about three million children under the age of five. She disclosed that UNICEF supported the current campaign with Vitamin A capsules, micronutrient supplements and community mobilisation while urging the state to ensure a successful second round before the end of November and procure adequate deworming tablets for eligible children.

Also speaking, the Senior Nutrition Specialist, Centre for Clinical Care and Clinical Research Nigeria (CCCRN), Babatunde Lawani, congratulated the Lagos State Government on the commencement of the programme and reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to supporting community health interventions. He called on health workers, volunteers and stakeholders to work together to ensure every eligible child and caregiver was reached during the exercise.

The Head of Sales, Agrim Pharmaceutical Healthcare Industry, Obayomi Olusegun, said the company was proud to partner with the Lagos State Ministry of Health by supporting the campaign with healthcare products. He praised the ministry’s commitment to improving the health and wellbeing of residents and wished the programme a successful and impactful implementation.

The flag-off ceremony attracted government officials, traditional rulers, development partners, healthcare workers, community leaders and residents, who all pledged continued collaboration towards reducing preventable maternal, newborn and child deaths as well as improving nutrition and healthcare outcomes across Lagos State.

The First Round of the 2026 MNCAH+N Week will run from Monday, July 20 to Friday, July 24, 2026, with free services available daily between 8:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. at all public primary healthcare facilities and other designated centres across the state.

For Advert, Event Coverage/Press Conference Invite, Story/Article Publication & Other Media Services
Contact Us On WhatsApp
Send Email To: citizennewsng@gmail.com
Visit Citizen NewsNG To Read More Latest And Interesting News Across Nigeria And The World