Finance MMS to improve maternal, child health outcomes- Stakeholders

Finance MMS to improve maternal, child health outcomes- Stakeholders

By Folasade Akpan

Stakeholders have called on government at all levels to ensure sustained financing for Multiple Micronutrient Supplements (MMS) for pregnant women to reduce the burden of anaemia and improve maternal and child health outcomes.

They made the call on Tuesday in Abuja at a media roundtable on Anaemia Prevention, Reduction and Other Nutrition Related National Issues in Nigeria, organised by the Civil Society – Scaling up Nutrition in Nigeria (CS-SUNN).

The roundtable had as its theme “Headlines That Save Lives: Media Power Against Anaemia and Malnutrition.”

Mr Prosper Dakurah, Nutrition Manager at the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), said MMS provided the necessary micronutrients for the health of mothers and babies, leading to better pregnancy outcomes.

“Over the years, we have included multiple micronutrients in the National Micronutrient Control Guideline, which is an excellent achievement and beyond that, MMS is now part of the Essential Medicines List.

“In 2024, we distributed about three million bottles across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and in 2025, we are distributing another three million bottles.

“Unfortunately, only 30 to 40 per cent of pregnant women currently have access to MMS, meaning about 60 per cent are left out and this gap must be filled through sustainable financing.”

Dakurah said that for the past few years, the six million bottles distributed were donated to Nigeria and distributed free of charge but that by 2026, the government was to provide resources to ensure procurement and continued distribution.

Mrs Toyin Gabriel, Senior Technical Advisor, Family Health International (FHI 360) Alive and Thrive Initiative, stressed the importance of reaching adolescent girls with the right micronutrients.

“The Child Nutrition Fund (CNA) offers a matching fund opportunity that for every one Naira invested, partners like UNICEF will match it, doubling the value.

“It is a huge investment opportunity that should not be missed,” she said.

In her presentation, Dr Maria Odey-Bisong, Senior Medical Officer at the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, said anaemia remained a major public health issue in Nigeria, affecting 58 per cent of women of reproductive age and 68 per cent of children under five.

She listed the consequences of anaemia in pregnancy to include maternal morbidity and mortality, stillbirth, pre-term delivery, intrauterine growth retardation, congenital malformations, reduced immunity and postpartum cognitive impairment.

“MMS is efficacious, safe, cost-effective and affordable.

“It contains 15 vitamins and minerals, including iron and folic acid, in recommended dosage of one tablet per day.”

She noted that pogress had been made in MMS policy development, but that now was the time to accelerate implementation, ensured equitable coverage and secured sustainable supply.

Dr Ruqayya Wamakko, Executive Secretary, FCT Primary Health Care Board, said anaemia was a major concern in Nigeria, including in the FCT, where urban slums and hard-to-reach communities still lacked adequate access to information and services.

She added that in spite of the high-rise buildings in the FCT, there were communities without basic amenities where women of reproductive age did not have access to nutrition information or supplements.

She, however, called for partnership to promote the consumption of locally available food to improve blood health, particularly among adolescent girls who lose blood monthly and needed to replace it.

Mr Sunday Okoronkwo, Executive Secretary of CS-SUNN, represented by the organisation’s Communication Manager, Mr Peters Olushola, called on state governments to strengthen the integration of MMS into antenatal care protocols.

“It is essential to train health workers to deliver MMS effectively and educate mothers on its importance.

“States must also establish strong monitoring systems to prevent stockouts in health facilities.”

He also called on the media to amplify the advocacy, adding that headlines must translate into life-saving actions that prevented anaemia and improved maternal outcomes.