NGO calls for multiple micronutrients supplement uptake in pregnant women in Nigeria

FHI 360, a Non Governmental Organisation (NGO) has called for Multiple Micronutrients Supplement (MMS) uptake in pregnant women in Nigeria.

Prof Auwalu Kawu, Senior Social Behavioral Change Technical Advisor for Behavioral Change made the call in Lagos during a two day media engagement.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the engagement was on enhancing media engagement in promoting MMS for maternal health.

It also reports that the engagement was a project of FHI 360 under Alive and Thrive.

Kawu said that generally, women who attend ante natal clinic used to be provided with Iron and Folic Acid (IFA) which was the just three and very significant for pregnant women.

He said that it was recently discovered that she needs more than just three, she needs several other micro nutrients which normally for some reasons she missed them either in the cooking process, in the community or she can’t afford it.

He said that government now decided to include MMS among the essential drugs that women who attends ante natal clinic based on the ante natal examination would be given MMS especially iron which was the most important.

He said that the overall idea was to decrease anemia among pregnant women noting that anemia has very serious side effect on pregnancy and the child the woman would have.

Kawu said that MMS was free in Nigeria in public facilities and government has provided adequate MMS.

He said that a bottle of MMS would last for three months and when it’s finished, she should get another bottle.

Commenting, Ann Olawuni-Daniel, media consultant, STB McCann said that what they do basically as an advertising agency was to come up with key messages that are simple enough for the pregnant women to understand.

Olawuni-Daniel said that they use these messages to communicate with the identify target audience about benefit of MMS.

NGO calls for multiple micronutrients supplement uptake in pregnant women in Nigeria

FHI 360, a Non Governmental Organisation (NGO) has called for Multiple Micronutrients Supplement (MMS) uptake in pregnant women in Nigeria.

Prof Auwalu Kawu, Senior Social Behavioral Change Technical Advisor for Behavioral Change made the call in Lagos during a two day media engagement.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the engagement was on enhancing media engagement in promoting MMS for maternal health.

It also reports that the engagement was a project of FHI 360 under Alive and Thrive.

Kawu said that generally, women who attend ante natal clinic used to be provided with Iron and Folic Acid (IFA) which was the just three and very significant for pregnant women.

He said that it was recently discovered that she needs more than just three, she needs several other micro nutrients which normally for some reasons she missed them either in the cooking process, in the community or she can’t afford it.

He said that government now decided to include MMS among the essential drugs that women who attends ante natal clinic based on the ante natal examination would be given MMS especially iron which was the most important.

He said that the overall idea was to decrease anemia among pregnant women noting that anemia has very serious side effect on pregnancy and the child the woman would have.

Kawu said that MMS was free in Nigeria in public facilities and government has provided adequate MMS.

He said that a bottle of MMS would last for three months and when it’s finished, she should get another bottle.

Commenting, Ann Olawuni-Daniel, media consultant, STB McCann said that what they do basically as an advertising agency was to come up with key messages that are simple enough for the pregnant women to understand.

Olawuni-Daniel said that they use these messages to communicate with the identify target audience about benefit of MMS.

She said what they do as an organization basically going through process where they have clear understanding of who these target audience are, the level of information which also helps them with the strategies in reaching them.

She said what they do as an organization basically going through process where they have clear understanding of who these target audience are, the level of information which also helps them with the strategies in reaching them.