The Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Week (MNCHW) campaign was flagged off at PHC Yakasai in Soba Local Government Area, Kaduna State, on 11 June 2026, bringing together health workers, traditional and religious leaders, local government officials, community members and members of the Local Health Accountability and Advocacy Team (LHAAT).
After an opening prayer by the Chief Imam of Yakasai and a welcome from the Social Mobilisation Officer, the Soba LGA Health Secretary thanked parents and caregivers for turning out and urged pregnant women, nursing mothers and caregivers to make use of routine immunisation and the other services on offer during the week.
Nutrition, hygiene and child spacing
The LGA Nutrition Focal Person, Hajiya Zulai Abubakar, explained the link between poor hygiene, inadequate nutrition and childhood malnutrition, and encouraged mothers to prepare meals from locally available foods such as soybeans, groundnuts, millet, maize, beans, eggs and fish powder. She stressed exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life. The second-in-charge of PHC Yakasai, Hajiya Larai, gave a talk on child spacing and the family planning options available at health facilities.
The wife of the Chairman of Soba Local Government formally flagged off the campaign by administering Vitamin A supplements to children and distributed sanitary pads to women. The District Head of Yakasai closed the ceremony by commending health workers and the community, after which routine immunisation and other MNCHW services continued for eligible mothers and children.
The LHAAT’s part
Before and during the event, LHAAT members mobilised caregivers, pregnant women and nursing mothers to attend, and reinforced messages on routine immunisation, nutrition, exclusive breastfeeding and child spacing. Beneficiary numbers for the week will be published when the LGA releases them.
Source: LHAAT Soba LGA activity report, 11 June 2026.