NI-SWODEN to enlighten 71,000 pregnant women on Iron folic Acid uptake in Jigawa

From Ali Rabiu Ali, Dutse.

No fewer than 71,000 pregnant women, parent and care givers in Jigawa state, are targetted by the Society for Women Development and empowerment in Nigeria, on behavioral change towards increasing Iron Folic Acid uptake and Anti-natal care.

This was announced by the Nutrition International (NI) coordinator Mr Patrick Odeli during the meeting with stakeholders to disseminate the outcome of the desk review held at state Secretariat Dutse.

The NI coordinator who was represented by SWODEN program officer comrade Lawan B. Ahmad said, ten communities from two local government of Ringim and Dutse will benefit from the intervention.

He explained that, SWODEN in collaboration with Nutrition International (NI) is implementing a project to reach out over 71,000 pregnant women, parent and care givers with behavioral change messages towards increasing Iron Folic Acid IFA uptake and Anti-natal care, LO-ORS/ZINC intake.

Comrade B. Ahmad maintained that, the program will also improve the knowledge and skills of health workers/CHEWS across the the two local government.

The state program officer added that, the project will also reach out male influencers, community get keepers and policy makers, through strategic communications on the benefit of In IFA and LO-ORS supplementation and nutrition for pregnant women as advocates and champions of ANC/IFA, LO-ORS uptake across the state.

According to him, Mutrition International's zinc LO-ORS project titled "scaling up zinc ORS combination to improve childhood diarrhoea treatment outcome in northern Nigeria", aims to improve care seeking for diarrhoea and quality of diarrhoea treatment as strategy to reduce mortality rate among under five years old Children.

He then seeks for support and cooperation on sensitization on prompt care childhood diarrhoea as well as the benefit of treating uncomplicated diarrhoea with zinc and LO-ORS.