The Executive Secretary of the Enugu State Primary Health Care Development Agency (ESPHCDA), Dr. Ifeyinwa Ani-Osheku, has said the state government is intensifying efforts to close persisting maternal, newborn and child health gaps with the second round of the 2025 Optimal Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (OMNCH) Week.

 

Dr. Ani-Osheku disclosed this while addressing a press conference ahead of the exercise, explaining that the intervention is aimed at reaching women and children who are still missing out on essential health services despite the gains recorded under the state’s ongoing health sector reforms.

 

According to her, the OMNCH Week is designed to address gaps in routine immunization, antenatal care attendance, micronutrient supplementation and early childhood disease prevention, particularly in underserved and vulnerable communities across the state. She noted that factors such as migration, insecurity-induced displacement and socio-economic barriers have continued to create pockets of missed opportunities, making the intervention timely and critical.

 

“This second round is about preventing avoidable maternal and child deaths, strengthening herd immunity and consolidating the progress Enugu State has made in primary healthcare delivery,” she said.

 

Dr. Ani-Osheku explained that the state is delivering a comprehensive package of services during the OMNCH Week, including routine and catch-up immunization, vitamin A supplementation, deworming, antenatal care services, nutrition screening, health education and referral services. She added that special strategies were deployed to ensure that hard-to-reach populations are not excluded.

 

To this end, she said the state mobilized mobile outreach teams, extended service hours, engaged community health volunteers and worked closely with ward development committees, with particular focus on riverine, rural and peri-urban settlements.

 

On collaboration, the ESPHCDA boss emphasized that the success of the OMNCH Week rests on strong partnerships. She said local governments provide grassroots coordination and logistics, traditional rulers and community leaders drive community mobilization and trust, while health workers form the backbone of service delivery, supported through supervision and capacity-building. Development partners, she added, have complemented government efforts with technical support, commodities and monitoring.

 

Providing an update on outcomes from the second round, Dr. Ani-Osheku revealed that preliminary reports show a significant increase in immunization coverage, especially among zero-dose and under-immunized children. She also noted an improvement in antenatal care uptake, with more pregnant women accessing early and regular care, while nutrition screening helped identify at-risk children for timely intervention.

 

“These outcomes translate to improved child survival prospects and reduced maternal health risks, in line with Enugu State’s health performance targets,” she stated.

 

Reflecting on lessons learned, Dr. Ani-Osheku said early community engagement, data-driven micro-planning and integration of OMNCH services with other primary healthcare interventions proved critical to success. She assured that these insights would shape future maternal and child health programmes, strengthen routine service delivery and enhance health data systems.

 

She reaffirmed the commitment of the Enugu State Government to sustaining inclusive, resilient and impactful maternal and child health interventions, stressing that no woman or child will be left behind in the state’s health agenda.