NEWS
ABIA ADVANCES HEALTHCARE DELIVERY AS MRS. PRISCILLA OTTI FLAGS-OFF 2025 ROUND TWO MATERNAL, NEWBORN AND CHILD HEALTH WEEK IN UMUAHIA
Abia State has taken another bold step toward strengthening maternal and child health as the Wife of the Governor, Mrs. Priscilla Otti, flagged-off the 2025 Round Two Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Week (MNCHW) in Umuahia. The ceremony, held with enthusiastic participation from stakeholders across the health sector, underscored the state government’s unwavering commitment to safeguarding mothers and children.
Represented by the Wife of the Deputy Governor, Mrs. Adaeze Emetu, Mrs. Otti described the rollout as a major stride in the state’s ongoing efforts to curb preventable maternal and child deaths. She acknowledged the significant progress recorded in Abia’s healthcare system but stressed the urgent need to maintain momentum in protecting mothers, newborns, and children.
She urged health workers across the state to continually improve their skills, enhance communication with clients, and uphold the highest professional standards to make health facilities more welcoming and efficient. Mrs. Otti encouraged pregnant women, caregivers, and mothers to take full advantage of the free services available throughout the week, ranging from vitamin A supplementation to multiple micronutrient supplements for expectant mothers who missed the earlier June round.
She further called on traditional rulers, community leaders, and the media to intensify awareness campaigns to ensure every mother and child in Abia State benefits from the programme.
Addressing attendees, the Commissioner for Health, Prof. Enoch Uche, expressed concern over Nigeria’s staggering 29% share of global maternal deaths. He commended the state government for implementing targeted policies and investments that demonstrate strong political will in reversing maternal and child mortality trends. He noted that the upgrade of Primary Health Centres (PHCs) across the state is significantly improving access to quality healthcare for families.
The Executive Secretary of the State Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr. Kalu Kalu, revealed encouraging progress, stating that maternal mortality in Abia has dropped to 136 per 100,000 births. Despite this improvement, he raised alarms over the under-five and perinatal mortality rates, 69 and 129 per 1,000 respectively, calling for urgent collective action.
He explained that the MNCHW will provide free immunisation, vitamin A supplementation, deworming, antenatal care, and family planning services across all wards.
In her remarks, the Commissioner for Women Affairs, Mrs. Maureen Aghaukwa, described the flag-off as an urgent call to action. She urged stakeholders to unite behind the government’s efforts to protect mothers and children, especially in underserved rural areas where access to healthcare remains limited.
The National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), represented by Dr. Kelechi Nwaneri-Udo, commended Abia State for its progress in the health sector and reaffirmed the agency’s readiness to continue partnering with the state to strengthen primary healthcare systems.
Similarly, the World Health Organization (WHO), represented by Dr. Izuka Michael, pledged ongoing technical support toward reducing maternal and newborn deaths in the state.
The Abia State Nutrition Officer, Mrs. Nmerechi Ofoegbu, appealed to mothers to embrace nutritious local foods to improve family health outcomes. She also praised development partners for supporting the successful rollout of the 2025 MNCHW.
The event concluded with the administration of vitamin A supplements to children aged 0–5 years and the distribution of gift items to participating mothers and children, marking another milestone in Abia State’s drive to build a healthier, more resilient population.