Sokoto Set to Roll out Maternal‑and‑Child Health Week as Nutrition International Maps out Ambitious Targets

Onuminya Innocent in Sokoto 

Nutrition International, together with key partners, convened a one‑day review meeting in Sokoto to chart the way forward for the state’s Maternal and New‑Child Health Week (MNCHW). 

The gathering, held at the state health secretariat, brought together officials from the Ministry of Health, UNICEF, NGOs and community leaders to assess the outcomes of the previous MNCHW and to finalise preparations for the upcoming campaign slated for November 24‑28, 2025.

State Coordinator of Nutrition International, Ayobami Oyedeji, told participants that the next round will focus on three core objectives: ensuring that mothers and children aged 0‑59 months have access to essential life‑saving interventions; achieving at least 85 % coverage of vitamin A supplementation for children 6‑59 months; and guaranteeing that every child 12‑59 months receives a dose of albendazole for deworming.

“Preparation for the next MNCHW includes supplying every ward with vitamin A capsules (red and blue), intensifying community mobilisation, and raising awareness across all 244 wards,” Oyedeji said.

He added that the meeting also agreed to set up an operations room for data validation, improve data‑quality awareness, and engage Ward Development Chairmen to support the rollout.

Representatives from partner organisations – Hellen Keller International, Action Against Hunger, Life Helpers Initiative, Catholic Relief Services and RUWOYD – offered goodwill messages, pledging continued technical and logistical support. They highlighted the importance of aligning the campaign with the state’s broader health priorities and stressed the need for robust monitoring to track progress against the 85 per cent vitamin A target and universal deworming.

The review session also covered lessons learned from the previous MNCHW, identifying logistical bottlenecks, gaps in community outreach and data‑management challenges. Stakeholders agreed on a set of corrective actions, including the pre‑positioning of supplies, enhanced training for community health workers, and the establishment of real‑time reporting mechanisms.

With the November campaign just weeks away, Nutrition International and its partners are confident that the agreed‑upon strategies will translate into measurable improvements in maternal and child health across Sokoto, moving the state closer to its goal of protecting the most vulnerable populations.