To Mark Child Health Week… Free Vitamin A Capsules For Under 5 Children
By Mariama Bah
The
Ministry of Health and Sanitation and its partners will distribute free vitamin
A capsules and deworming tablets to under five children in marking Maternal and
Child Health week.
This was
disclosed to the Press during a press briefing by the Ministry at their Youyi
Building office on Tuesday 22nd November,
2016. The free maternal and child health week will commence from the 24thto 28thNovember,
2016. Programme
Manager CH/EPI Dr. Dennis Marke said the press briefing was in relation to
their two days Maternal and Child Health week commonly called “Mamy en pikin
well bodi week.”
Dr Marke
said that the government of Sierra Leone through the Ministry of Health and
Sanitation came with the idea and they always yearning to see such in the
country.
He disclosed
further that their partners UNICEF and WHO have been organizing the maternal
and child health week annually.
He pointed
out that the free maternal and child health is normally held twice every year. The first one he said
was held in May 2016 and now in November 2016 for the second one.
He added
that they have carried out a campaign supplementary immunization activities
this year and they did four rounds of polio marklate.
He
mentioned that this time around they will be conducting two days maternal and child
health week for free health services to children from 0-59 month.
He
explained that their goal is to reach out to communities with life serving
skills. And they have couples of interventions in theircampaign the first one
is to administer vitamin A to children from 0 to 59 month and the second is to
strength the vitamin A which they referred to as the blue capsules.
He
explained that the Albendazole is a deworming tablet that will be giving to
children under five years and pregnant women.
He said
the free marklate they will use the opportunity to visit different houses
around the country and trace defaulters children who have missed the routine
vaccine and bring them up to date with their immunization.
He also
went to say they will focus on anti natal care and their aim is to search for
pregnant womenand advise them to goto the nearest health facility to start
medication.
He added that they will ensure that all
pregnant women will be asses by skilled health care workers for free of charge.
He said the vitamin A is good for eye site and is very essential for the growth
and development for children and they will be target over 1526 thousand and 635
children age between 0 to 59 and also children under five years. He said
parents and care givers are reminded to take all children under five years to
the nearest health center or stay at home for mark late, vitamin A and deworming.
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