Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has revealed plans to provide free food and antenatal care to 5,000 pregnant women under the Mother, Infant and Child initiative.
Speaking during the rollout of the initiative in Ikeja yesterday, Sanwo-Olu said the target was to reach 5,000 underprivileged pregnant women across the 57 Local Government Areas and Local Council Development Areas.
The MICH initiative, coordinated by the Office of the Civic Engagement, is a comprehensive nutrition programme to tackle cognitive and learning disabilities in newborns, the News Agency of Nigeria reports.
The scheme aims to raise the level of care for expectant mothers in underserved communities throughout their pregnancy periods.
It is also to support the development of infants’ brains from the foetus to neonatal stage, especially in the first 2,000 days, said to be significant in a child’s formative stage.
According to the governor, the government realises the roles of women in socio-economic development and is taking proactive steps to improve maternal and child conditions.
He noted that the programme would also protect the rights of women and children.