The Rivers State Primary Health Care Management Board, PHCMB, says it is set to commence free health services for pregnant mothers and children in the state during the Maternal and Child Health week across all health centres in the state
Acting Director of Community Health Services, Dr Joy Wihioka who disclosed this at a one day sensitization meeting with stakeholders on Maternal New born and Child Health week said the free health services will commence from next week beginning from 28th of February to 4th of March 2022.
She said the targeted group for the services are new born, children under five years, pregnant mothers, caregivers of under 5, WCBA, men (counselling health promotion and family planning)
Our Correspondent reports that Wihioka also noted some of the free health services that will be provided for pregnant mothers and children including the men.
ALSO READ Fire Destroys Property Worth Millions of Naira in Ondo
The acting Health Educator, Rivers State Primary Healthcare Management Board, Dr Babo Diana also spoke on community engagement in maternal new born and child health
Recall that the Rivers State Primary Healthcare Management Board had said the free Maternal New Born and Child Health Week will commenced from Monday, 20th to Friday 24th of September, 2021.
The Maternal and Child Health focal person with the state Primary Healthcare Management Board, Dr Emmem-Jaja said the aim of the week is to provide health care service for children under the age of five years.
Dr Jaja made this known during a sensitization meeting with key stakeholders in Port Harcourt, noting that several interventions would be given to the children, mothers, like administering vitamin A under the age of five, the worming tablet, nutritional screening system as well as delivery mothers will also partake in the free services.
She also added that both women of reproductive age and their spouses who visited the health care centres would also have free services within the week. The services will includes family planning, blood pressures check, child spacing, HIV testing and counselling, birth registration, Dr. Jaja added.
Also speaking the state Health Educator, Dr Doris Nria stated that the need for the sensitization on the week is to build up the immunity of the children of under-five and called on all stakeholders to avail their children for the free healthcare services within the week.
On his path, the Senior Health Promotion officer of NCDC in Rivers State Junaid Muhammad-Junaid urged proprietors, teachers and students to take the necessary COVID 19 precautionary measures as school resumes.
