The Executive Secretary of Rivers State Primary Health Care Management Board (RSPHMB), Dr. Claribel Abam, has announced that the 2013 Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (MNCH) Week in Rivers State will take place in June.
Dr. Abam who made the announcement in her office said the programme will witness free medical services like immunization of women of child bearing age against tetanus and children from zero to five years against Tuberculosis, Hapatitis B, Measles, Yellow Fever etc.
She said apart from immunization, treatment of child hood illnesses like Diarrhea, Malaria Malnutrition will also be provided and therefore called on parents to take their children to the nearest health centre for these services.
The Executive Secretary said, “MNCH is a programme approved by the National Council on health due to the large number of pregnant women and children who die every year” pointing out that reason for the death was inadequate medical care.
She said the programme which is organized by RSPHMB and its partner agencies is also designed to reach children who had not been immunized and also said that for any immunization to be successful at least 80 per cent of the children must be immunized.
Dr. Abam disclosed that a law is underway to sanction any pregnant woman who delivers with quacks.
She stated that this restriction on where women should deliver is to enable the government have actual figure of women who die during child birth.
