During a two-day stakeholders' meeting held in Zaria LGA, Kaduna, the state's Commissioner for Health, Umma Ahmed, emphasized the importance of increasing MMS availability to mitigate the adverse effects of anemia among pregnant women.
Represented by Dr. Aisha Abubakar, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Ahmed highlighted that the initiative aims to reach all pregnant women and children, stating, "They all require MMS."
She noted that Kaduna State has a significant anemia prevalence, with 76.1 percent of women and children under five affected, and over 56.1 percent of pregnant women suffering from the condition.
Additionally, she reported that 22.1 percent of men and more than 40 percent of young girls are also impacted.
Ahmed pointed out the disparities in access to nutrition, indicating that men with income can choose their food, while women often rely on what is prepared at home, leading to poorer health outcomes.
“Our goal is to reduce these figures to zero if possible and to promote healthier behaviors,” she stated.
The commissioner expressed optimism about acquiring the supplements promptly, noting that the stakeholder engagement aims to ensure comprehensive participation.
Participants included representatives from various ministries, such as agriculture, health, planning, and civil society organizations.
“The Federal Government has allocated sufficient funds to secure a substantial supply for distribution to pregnant women.
Currently, we have a stock of MMS, and this initial phase is set to continue until 2025, focusing on mobilizing all stakeholders.
The stakeholders will develop a work plan for distribution, community outreach, advocacy, logistics, supply, and health education across the 23 LGAs in the state,” Ahmed concluded.
Nafisat Isah, the Director of Family and Community Health Services at SPHCB, referenced empirical data from clinical trials conducted over the past twenty years.
She indicated that the findings consistently demonstrate that Multiple Micronutrient Supplements (MMS) provide additional advantages compared to Iron and Folic Acid supplements (IFAS) in mitigating adverse pregnancy outcomes that can affect the critical first 1,000 days of life and beyond. Isah noted that MMS significantly contributes to improved pregnancy outcomes by reducing instances of low birth weight.
Consequently, she advocated for the consumption of MMS by women of childbearing age to promote healthier childbirth weights. Isah also called upon all stakeholders to collaborate effectively in ensuring the distribution of MMS to the state's population.
Earlier, Mrs. Ramatu Haruna, the State Nutrition Officer (SNO), stated that the meeting aimed to educate participants about MMS and its significance, thereby fostering partnerships and collaboration.
This initiative, she explained, would facilitate a coordinated and effective strategy for scaling up MMS and securing commitment towards an actionable roadmap with defined timelines, roles, and responsibilities.
Yadika Charles, the UNICEF Nutrition Officer from the Kaduna Field Office, emphasized that antenatal MMS supplementation has been shown to enhance maternal nutritional status.
He disclosed that the MMS intervention campaign is funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, with only five states in Nigeria, including Kaduna, currently benefiting from the initiative.
The nutrition specialist urged stakeholders to create a supportive environment for the acceptance of MMS and interventions aimed at preventing anemia among pregnant women.
He highlighted the collaboration between UNICEF, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Alive and Thrive, and Civil Society Scaling Up Nutrition in Nigeria (CS-SUNN) to improve pregnancy outcomes. The nutrition specialist, who referred to MMS as a significant benefit, expressed gratitude to the state government for allocating N100 million as its counterpart funding.
He highlighted that multiple micronutrient supplementation (MMS) is safe, effective, and cost-efficient, representing a key intervention for enhancing maternal nutrition and serving as a preventive measure for pregnant women.
In advocating for investment in MMS, Mrs. Sarah Kwasu, the Team Lead for Alive and Thrive (A&T) in the state, noted that achieving improvements in natural diets and behavioral changes is challenging within a short timeframe, particularly in resource-limited settings.
She further stated that the integration of various micronutrients into a single multi-supplement and the targeted delivery of MMS to specific groups of women is a more practical approach that should be adopted.
While acknowledging the importance of Iron and Folic Acid (IFA) supplementation as essential nutrients, Kwasu emphasized that these are not the sole nutrients necessary for the health of pregnant women and their children.
Moreover, she pointed out that over two decades of research has demonstrated that MMS is more effective than IFA supplementation in preventing negative birth outcomes.