Introduction

Introduction

Action

Action

Impact

Impact

 

Impact

© UNICEF Nigeria

A mother and her child sleeping under a long lasting insecticide mosquito net

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

• To date, the accelerated child survival strategy is being implemented in 111 UNICEF focus Local Government Areas in all 36 States and FCT, involving a population of nearly 5 million children under five. Capacity of the local Government health systems has been built so that outreach services are expanded, supervision and monitoring are improved, advocacy to communities is more effective and coverage of health intervention are substantially increased, especially for immunisation.
• In 2007, the Federal Government launched the Integrated Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (IMNCH) strategy, inspired by the accelerated child survival and development strategy and by other successful initiatives in Africa. This strategy – if effectively implemented and scaled up - has the potential of facilitating the attainment of health Millennium Development Goals 4, 5 and 6 by Nigeria. The experience of the accelerated child survival and development strategy in many Local Government Areas will serve as an effective vehicle for rolling out the integrated maternal, newborn and child health strategy to the 36 States and FCT.
• As a result of the massive National measles immunisation campaign carried out in all Nigerian States in 2005 and 2006 and supported by UNICEF and other partners, a total of 54.9 million children between 9 months and 15 years were immunised. In 2006-2007, measles surveillance showed a dramatic drop in the number of measles cases reported in Nigeria.
• Thanks to the Immunisation Plus Days and to efforts by all polio eradication partners, the number of wild polio virus cases reduced by 75 per cent in 2007 with a total of 284 cases for the year 2007 in 23 States compared to 1,120 in 18 States for the same period in 2006.
• In 2007, the Northern region, which up till now, had very low immunisation coverage, reported DPT3 coverage that exceeds 60 per cent in most States, mostly due to the effective Immunisation Plus Days strategy implemented in this part of the country.
• UNICEF made significant investments to improve the cold chain and provide freezers or fridges where needed. These efforts have impacted positively on routine immunisation by contributing to adequately equipping health facilities throughout the country.
• Trainings have ensured that health service providers now possess skills for managing malaria, diarrhoeal diseases and acute respiratory infections.
• UNICEF’s focus on eliminating iodine deficiency disorders has enabled Nigeria become the first African country to achieve universal salt iodisation. This recognition was given by the Global Network for Sustained Elimination of Iodine Deficiency at an international forum on Micronutrient Deficiency held in Turkey in April 2007.
• Thanks to the food fortification strategy, 70 per cent of the sugar, 100 per cent of wheat flour and 55 per cent of vegetable oil sold on the market are fortified with Vitamin A. Nigeria is also fortifying wheat flour with iron, thereby helping to protect the physical and mental health of both children and mothers.
• Assessment of focus communities has shown an increase in key households practices such as breastfeeding, immunisation, antenatal care and the use of oral rehydration therapy.
• With UNICEF support, Nigeria adopted National guidelines for school meal planning aimed at reducing malnutrition and hunger among school children.

© UNICEF Nigeria/2007/Nesbitt

A little girl and her younger sister hold their immunisation cards as they make their way home after being vaccinated against polio