By Babatunde Tiamiyu
The Oyo State Primary Health Care Board (OYSPHCB),in collaboration with other partners such as UNICEF ANRiN and VITAMIN ANGEL have launched the second round of the 2025 Optimized Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health Week (OMNCHW) across all 33 local government areas on Monday, November 24th 2025.
According to stakeholders at the event the objective of the week-long campaign is to improve the health and welfare of mothers, newborns from 0 – 59 months and lactating mothers.
The flag-off event for the second round took place at the Ibadan North Local Government Area Secretariat, Agodi, Ibadan.
In his welcome remark, The Chief Medical Officer, Ibadan North Local Government, Dr. Adeyemi Adewole, noted that the initiative, with the full backing of Governor Seyi Makinde’s administration, has played crucial role in reducing maternal and Child maternity across all the Local Government Areas in Oyo State.
The ceremony was led by the Executive Secretary of the OYSPHCB, Dr. Muideen Olatunji represented by the Director, Disease Control, OYSPHCB,Dr. Johnson Oshoko and attended by various officials and representatives from ANRiN, UNICEF, the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), and other partners.
This initiative according to Dr. Olatunji is part of the Oyo state government’s ongoing efforts aimed at reducing maternal and infant mortality rates.
He emphasized that during the oMNCHW, the OYSPHCB provided a range of integrated health and nutrition services to children under five months, women of child-bearing age, and pregnant women.
Dr. Olatunji explained that the services included vitamin A supplementation and deworming for children, routine immunization, HPV vaccines for 9-year-old girls, MIYCN counseling, iron and folate supplementation for pregnant women, intermittent malaria treatment in pregnant women, HIV counseling and testing, birth registration, and health education on topics like handwashing and family planning.
In their various remarks, UNICEF and OYSPHCB’ partners emphasized that, the campaign aimed to enhancing routine immunization and promote child health by making these services accessible in various community locations.
Stakeholders such as Community Development Association, CDA, and Social Mobilization on Health, led by the immediate past Auditor Oyo State NUP,Alhaja Yidiat Oladiti, were encouraged to help mobilize the public and counter misinformation about vaccinations to ensure broad participation.
The second round of Oyo state oMNCHW will end on Friday across Oyo State.
