Ekiti, UNICEF Hold Stakeholders’ Meeting Ahead of Maternal, Child Health Week

The Ekiti State Government, in collaboration with UNICEF, has held a stakeholders’ review meeting ahead of the first round of the 2026 Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Week (MNCHW) scheduled to take place across the state from 22nd to 26th of June , 2026

Speaking at the meeting, the Chairman of the Ekiti State Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr Funke Ogunbunmi, said the programme was designed as a strategic intervention to rapidly increase access to essential preventive and curative health services for women and children.

Ogunbunmi, who was represented by the Director of the agency, Dr Olusola Amodu, noted that improved nutrition remained critical to preventing illnesses among children and pregnant women.

In separate goodwill messages, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health and Human Services, Mrs Olusola Gbenga-Igotun, and the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, Mr Olusola Akinluyi, said the initiative was aimed at improving maternal and child health outcomes and reducing child mortality in Ekiti and across Nigeria.

They commended Gov. Biodun Oyebanji for the prompt approval of activities lined up for the health week and urged stakeholders to ensure the successful implementation of the programme.

Earlier, the Executive Secretary of the State Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr Tunde Ogunsakin, and the State Nutrition Officer, Dr Bolanle Olorunyomi, said the exercise would further strengthen the primary healthcare system by leveraging existing routine activities to provide enhanced service delivery.

According to them, beneficiaries will have access to a range of free healthcare services during the five-day campaign, including Vitamin A supplementation, deworming, immunisation, antenatal and postnatal care, family planning services, nutrition screening, distribution of mosquito nets and HIV testing.

Also speaking, the UNICEF representative, Mr Makinde, said the campaign approach had consistently proved effective in reaching a larger number of beneficiaries than routine services provided at public health facilities.

He commended the Ekiti State Government for sustaining the implementation of the Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Week since the inception of the Biodun Oyebanji administration.

The stakeholders’ meeting brought together  representatives of relevant ministries, development partners and health sector stakeholders to review preparations and strategies for the successful conduct of the programme across the state.