By Adeyinka Adeniran
UNICEF has praised the leadership of the Lagos State government as the official flag-off of the 2026 first round of the Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Week commenced at the Oshodi/Isolo LGA Secretariat.
Speaking at the event on Monday, July 20, 2026, Celine Lafoucriere, Chief of Office for UNICEF Lagos, commended Her Excellency, Dr. (Mrs.) Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, Wife of the Executive Governor of Lagos State, for her continuous dedication and hands-on support in mobilizing resources and health workers for the initiative over the years.
Lafoucriere emphasized that with approximately three million children under the age of five in Lagos whose bodies and brains are actively developing, the campaign is vital to providing immediate and necessary care.
Throughout the week, community health workers will deploy across the state to deliver critical interventions, including Vitamin A to protect sight and boost immunity, deworming tablets to combat parasite-driven nutrient loss, and screenings to catch infant malnutrition early.
Pregnant women will also receive essential micronutrient supplements to safeguard both maternal and child health.
To support these efforts, UNICEF has provided Vitamin A and micronutrient supplements, backed public awareness campaigns, and deployed field teams to verify that children are successfully reached.
Highlighting the critical impact of domestic financial commitment, UNICEF noted that last year’s release of 156 million Naira by Lagos State through the Child Nutrition Match Fund directly purchased commodities that expanded the state’s reach and effectiveness.
Looking forward, UNICEF outlined two essential mandates to ensure maximum impact: conducting the second round of the Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Week before the end of November 2026 to catch children missed during the current week, and procuring adequate quantities of deworming tablets for children between 12 and 59 months to guarantee full state coverage without operating at half strength.
Concluding the address, UNICEF reaffirmed its unwavering partnership with Lagos State for the current round, the upcoming rounds, and the ongoing health work required in between.
