MNCHW: FCTA Begins Free Vitamin A, Deworming Services For Children

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has commenced the first round of the 2026 Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Week (MNCHW), targeting 1,497,665 children across the territory with life-saving health interventions, aimed at reducing maternal and child mortality.

The programme, themed “Optimising Care for Mothers and Children,” is being implemented by the FCT Primary Health Care Board (PHCB) in collaboration with six development partners, including the Helen Keller International.

The week-long exercise, scheduled from June 3 to June 7, 2026, offers a range of free, safe and essential healthcare services for mothers, newborns and children across the six Area Councils of the FCT.

Speaking during a media orientation in Abuja on Monday, the Mandate Secretary, Health Services and Environment Secretariat, Dr. Adedolapo Fasawe, described MNCHW as a high-impact biannual initiative designed to bring critical healthcare services closer to families.

Represented by Dr. Nicholas Okoli of the FCT Primary Health Care Board, Fasawe stressed that the exercise would strengthen routine immunisation and improve access to preventive healthcare for vulnerable groups.

According to her, the programme includes routine immunisation, Vitamin A supplementation for children aged zero to 59 months, deworming for children aged 12 to 59 months, and malnutrition screening.

Others are nutrition counselling, antenatal and postnatal care services, malaria prevention in pregnancy, breastfeeding support, newborn care counselling, and family planning services.

She noted that these evidence-based interventions, when delivered together, significantly improve health outcomes and save lives.

Also speaking, the FCT State Nutrition Officer, Mrs. Chinyere Ekwueme, explained that beneficiaries would have access to oral rehydration therapy demonstrations, comprehensive immunisation programmes, including tetanus-diphtheria vaccines for pregnant women and HPV vaccines for nine-year-old girls.

She also disclosed that the interventions would be implemented in all government health facilities across the six Area Councils.

Ekwueme added that maternal healthcare services under the programme include antenatal care, blood pressure checks, abdominal examinations, as well as voluntary HIV counselling.

She said health workers would also provide education on proper handwashing, exclusive breastfeeding and appropriate complementary feeding practices to improve family health and wellbeing.

Also speaking, the State Health Education Officer of the FCT PHCB, Mrs. Chinyere Umeh, appealed to proprietors of schools to grant health workers access to school premises to administer Vitamin A supplements and deworming medications to eligible children.

She stressed that Vitamin A deficiency and incomplete routine immunisation could expose children to preventable illnesses and developmental challenges.

On his part, the Programme Coordinator of Helen Keller International, Mr. Aniki Emmanuel, reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to supporting the FCT Primary Health Care Board.

He commended the progress already recorded in child and maternal healthcare delivery in the territory and pledged continued collaboration to sustain and improve the gains achieved.

As the 2026 Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Week begins across the Federal Capital Territory, health authorities are calling on parents, caregivers, community leaders and school administrators to actively participate in the exercise.

With services offered free of charge, the initiative presents a vital opportunity to protect children and mothers from preventable diseases, strengthen community health outcomes, and build a healthier future for families across the FCT.

Remi Johnson, Edited By Grace Namiji