Dr. Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, the Wife of Lagos State Governor, has cautioned pregnant women against seeking antenatal, delivery, and post-natal health services from quacks. She raised concerns over the dangers posed by such unqualified practitioners, emphasising the need to discourage pregnant women from patronising them, including those who practice orthodox medicine illegally. She commended the Traditional Medicine Board’s efforts and urged them to intensify their monitoring to expose quacks operating in communities.
Sanwo-Olu expressed the government’s zero tolerance for sexual and domestic violence, urging the community to work together to eradicate such crimes. She emphasised the importance of practising good health-seeking behaviours for the well-being of mothers, children, adolescents, and the entire family during the Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health Plus Nutrition (MNCAH+N) Week in Lagos.
Lagos pioneered this initiative in 2012 to provide essential healthcare services to under-five children, mothers, women of childbearing age, and men. The programme, running from Nov. 6 to Nov. 10, will offer services such as routine immunisation, vitamin A supplementation, deworming, malnutrition screening, infant and young child feeding counselling, family planning services, and more, ensuring that all children receive necessary healthcare, especially those who have defaulted on immunisation or have never been immunised.
Prof. Akin Abayomi, State Commissioner for Health, emphasised the importance of well-nourished mothers during pregnancy, as the nutrition of the mother directly affects the child’s development in the womb. He highlighted the government’s shift towards prevention rather than treatment and the deployment of experienced staff to strengthen community-level healthcare services.
Dr. Olusegun Ogboye, the Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Health, encouraged mothers to embrace exclusive breastfeeding and take advantage of the Lagos State Health Insurance Scheme, “Ilera Eko,” which covers various healthcare needs and is essential for accessing antenatal care, immunisations, and birth control.
Celine Lafoucriere, Chief of Lagos Field Office, UNICEF, commended the Lagos State Government’s commitment to maternal and children’s health and reaffirmed UNICEF’s commitment to supporting the state government in achieving universal health coverage for children and mothers.
