The Lagos State government has reasserted its commitment to maternal, newborn, child, and adolescent health with the recent launch of its bi-annual Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health Plus Nutrition Week (MNCH+N). Flagged off on Monday, June 23, 2025, by Dr. (Mrs.) Claudiana Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, First Lady of Lagos state in Alimosho Local Government Area, the initiative aims to provide accessible, cost-effective, and high-impact healthcare services to transform health outcomes and save lives.
Mrs. Oluremi Hamzat, wife of the Deputy Governor, represented the First Lady at the event and expressed gratitude to the Alimosho community for hosting the state-wide launch. She highlighted Lagos’ pioneering role in the MNCH+N Week, which began in the state in 2010 and has since become a national program. Despite this progress, Dr. Sanwo-Olu stressed that current under-five, infant, and maternal mortality rates still necessitate concerted efforts from all stakeholders to meet global health targets.
Throughout the week-long campaign, running daily from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. from June 23 to June 27, 2025, various free services will be available at all public primary health centers and designated sites. These services include vitamin A supplementation, growth monitoring, free antenatal and postnatal care, family planning, counselling on home care, and screening for malnutrition. The program also offers information and referral support for cases of sexual and domestic violence, along with HPV vaccines and child nutrition supplements.
A critical focus of the initiative is combating the rising issue of quackery in maternal health services. Dr. Sanwo-Olu urged residents to avoid unregistered birth attendants and instead seek care from licensed healthcare professionals or those registered with the Lagos State Traditional Medicine Board. She called on communities to report illegal practices that endanger women and children.
Dr. (Mrs.) Kemi Ogunyemi, Special Adviser to the Lagos State Governor on Health, noted the strategic importance of launching the program in Alimosho, Lagos’ largest LGA, emphasizing that its success would significantly impact the state’s overall health indices. Both Dr. Ogunyemi and Dr. Olusegun Ogboye, Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Ministry of Health, encouraged families to utilize the free services and consider registering for Ilera Eko, the state’s social health insurance scheme, for continuous quality care.
Nemat Hajeebhoy, UNICEF Nigeria’s Chief of Nutrition, commended Lagos State for sustaining the MNCH+N campaign. She highlighted the impressive reach of past rounds, with nearly six million children receiving vitamin A supplements and three million dewormed in 2024. Hajeebhoy also introduced the Child Nutrition Fund (CNF), a financing mechanism designed to help states double their investment in crucial nutrition commodities, expressing optimism that Lagos would leverage this fund.
Hon. Jelili Sulaimon, Chairman of Alimosho Local Government, (represented by Hon. Akinpelu Johnson), welcomed the initiative, stressing the fundamental link between good health and productivity. He reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to prioritizing healthcare for vulnerable groups and inaugurated a newly constructed Administrative Building at the council secretariat during the event.
