AS A FOLLOW UP ON PILOT PHASE AT IGBOGBO BAIYEKU, LASG COMMENCE RESEARCH OF MOTHER, INFANT & CHILD HEALTH ~ INN Nigeria

The Special Adviser to the Governor on Civic Engagement, Princess Aderemi Adebowale, stated that the exercise will entail the monitoring of the 1,140 selected pregnant women’s existing conditions, along with their unborn children throughout pregnancy, delivery and post-partum.

LASG has commenced the research phase of Mother, Infant and Child Health (MICH) programme at the Bariga LCDA, as a follow-up on the pilot phase flagged-off on 28th July 2020 by the First Lady Dr. (Mrs.) Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu at Igbogbo-Baiyeku LGA.

She said the MICH programme, which was extended to 11 Local Government Areas in the first phase, is aimed at supporting the development of responsible citizens from the womb through infancy, childhood, youth and into adulthood.

She revealed that the MICH programme at full launch is targeted at 15,000 participants in the next three years, but averred that the government was kicking-off the research pilot phase with 1,140 participants comprising of 20 pregnant women each in the 20 LGAs and 37 LCDAs.

“This phase, tagged the ‘Research Phase’, will include independent case studies and researches involving 1,140 pregnant women with follow up and monitoring of diverse medical and social indices starting from December 1, 2020, for a period of six months”, the Special Adviser said.

Adebowale said that the government would ensure that the participating pregnant women receive qualitative healthcare and follow-up home visits by a dedicated team of public and State approved private community health workers and medical consultants.

The Special Adviser explained that each of the beneficiaries would have access to a toll-free line with membership on a social media chat group that would be created in each LGA for direct feedback as part of the evaluation process of the Office of Civic Engagement.

She urged every beneficiary to cooperate with the government’s team of medical experts, researchers and care volunteers at every stage of the research process, stressing that partnering MDAs and other private partners have been assigned roles to ensure a seamless exercise.