Almanar Women Association (AMWA) has sensitized Adolescent Girls and Young Women (AGYW), mothers-in-law, and community leaders o...
The sensitization, held at Aminu Ladan Sharehu Primary School, Fan Wanki, Anguwar Fatika Ward of Zaria Local Government Area, aimed to improve maternal, newborn, and child health outcomes through increased awareness and community participation.
Speaking during the session, Matron Safiya Magaji Ishak emphasized the need for pregnant women and their families to adequately prepare for childbirth in order to reduce delays during labour and emergencies.
She explained that birth preparedness involves making arrangements for delivery materials, saving money for emergencies, selecting a health facility for delivery, identifying a reliable companion, and arranging transportation ahead of time.
According to her, husbands have a critical role to play in supporting their wives throughout pregnancy by assisting with financial planning, choosing a health facility, and ensuring transportation is readily available when labour begins.
Matron Safiya also highlighted the importance of postnatal care, urging mothers to ensure that their babies receive all recommended immunizations and regular health checks after birth.
On infant feeding, she stressed that babies should be exclusively breastfed for the first six months of life without water, herbal preparations, or any other form of food.
She noted that exclusive breastfeeding provides all the nutrients required for healthy growth and development while protecting infants from diarrhoea and other common childhood illnesses.
The facilitator further encouraged mothers to adopt Childbirth Spacing (CBS) after delivery and maintain adequate nutrition by eating additional nutritious meals during the breastfeeding period.
Participants were also advised against the use of feeding bottles due to the risk of infections and were encouraged to keep newborn babies warm and properly cared for at all times.
During the interactive session, participants asked questions on exclusive breastfeeding, infant formula, and child care practices.
In response, health experts explained that breast milk remains the best source of nutrition for babies and that infant formula should only be used under medical advice and in special circumstances.
Some of the participants, including Amina Aminu, Rukayya Ramalan, and Amina Jafar Ahmad, expressed appreciation for the sensitization, describing it as informative and beneficial.
They pledged to apply the knowledge gained and share the information with their families and other members of the community.
The organizers encouraged participants to seek professional guidance whenever they encounter challenges related to maternal, newborn, and child health and reaffirmed their commitment to supporting community health education initiatives.
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