The Maternal Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health Week (MNCAHW) scheduled from 12th to 16th July, 2021 across Primary Healthcare facilities and designated centers by the Lagos State Government, was set to provide free healthcare services to Pregnant Women, Mother’s, children, parents/caregivers and adolescent boys and girls. Some of these free services rendered included Family planning, Antenatal and Postnatal care, Cervical Screening at selected primary healthcare centers (PHCs), addressing Domestic Violence & Sexual Abuse, Counseling for adolescent on Drug Abuse, Reproductive issues and Career mentoring, Malnutrition Screening, Growth Monitoring, Deworming, Routine Immunization and Vitamin A Supplementation for children.
Inline with this activity, Rebekah Foundation and Safer Hands Health Initiative likewise participated by providing some of the enlisted services free to Pregnant Women, Mother’s, and caregivers at one of the community PHCs in Alimosho Local Government Area of the state. Speaking with an organizer of the program – Dr Azabi Borowa (Founder of Rebekah Foundation) – she explained that the program was set up to avail those PHCs that are not reached by the government or often neglected from the same benefits and services provided to others, which helps the residents of their own community stay healthy and up to date on health information and services. It was also available for participants with health complaints to get free consultation services and free medications.
The theme and aim of this support program by both the Nongovernmental organisations was “Revamping the Primary Health Center in Nigeria: Issues, Challenges and Way Forward” for coverage of universal basic healthcare and community development. One of the highlights of this event at the Ipinlerere PHC on the 14th of July 2021 was the session on the “VaPP Act: Speaking Up and Escape From Abusive Homes” taken by the Lead Trainer of SHI (Dr Agoyi Awoniyi), who also shared helplines for Domestic Violence & Sexual Abuse among the women.
Some other highlights included health talks on the “Role of Men/Husbands in Antenatal, Intrapartum and Postnatal Care” by Rebekah Foundation, “Malaria: Prevention and Importance of Adherence to correct Antimalarial drug timing” by Pharmacist Ehigiator Azabi (a partner representative – Standard Generics Limited) and the dialogue session with the participants on bridging the gap and issues surrounding the primary healthcare system, which elaborated on the core cardinals of PHC, the need for research (voluntarily giving information for data collation) and importance of implementing policies to change the status quo. The event ended with donation of essential drugs and birthing kits to the PHC; presented by Dr Sekinat Adejumobi and Dr Roland Ojo (Volunteer Manager and Founder, SHI – respectively), received by the PHC Officer In Charge and Nurse Oluchi Nkemjika.
