Gom Mirian
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Mohammad Ali Pate, has announced the federal government’s dedication to enhancing maternal health through the adoption of Multiple Micronutrient Supplements (MMS) during pregnancy.
This initiative aims to improve the quality of maternal health outcomes and aligns with the 2020 World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations on antenatal care for a positive pregnancy experience.
During a press briefing in Abuja, the minister emphasised the importance of scaling up programs to deliver MMS to vulnerable mothers.
Represented by the permanent secretary of the Ministry, Daju Kachallom, the minister highlighted the need for efficient supply chain systems and building awareness of the health benefits of MMS among mothers, communities, and maternal healthcare providers.
he said: “Beyond making MMS available and accessible, we also need to make the information about its efficacy available to the public. It is well known that pregnancy increases the daily requirement of several vitamins and minerals to meet the nutritional needs of the developing fetus and other metabolic functions.
“This is why the 3rd pillar of the Health Sector Renewal Investment Programme is focused on unlocking medical value chains, with a target to reduce the 41 per cent stock-out rate of family planning products, among others, while the second pillar aims at achieving an efficient, equitable and quality health system and targeting strengthening programs for priority diseases (MTCT, immunization, malaria and MMR).
“Antenatal MMS is designed to address these heightened demands, which are often not met through diet alone. It is particularly useful for pregnant women in poor resource settings where micronutrient intake is typically low due to inadequate dietary diversity, limited access to nutritious food, gender inequality, and prevalent social norms,” the minister explained.
