United Nations Children’s Fund(UNICEF) has appealed to Enugu state Government to support it’s programmes on child’s Rights to enable the agency achieve it’s set objectives in the state.
UNICEF ‘s Nutrition officer , Ngozi Onuora, made the appeal on Saturday,July 29,2023 , while speaking with Newsmen at the end of a courtesy visit on the wife of Enugu state Governor, Nkechinyere Mbah.
Onuora said that the aim of the visit was to familiarize with the state government and intimate them of UNICEF programmes in the state.
She said that UNICEF, advocates for provision of basic needs of the child., which include shelter, food, potable water , education and healthcare.
According to her, UNICEF supports the Government to invest in the basic needs of the child, the Child’s Rights to nutruition, the protection of the child’s Rights, the protection of the child and to help the child realise his or her full potentials.
Onuora lamented that in Enugu State, 10,000 children have no access to breast milk at all, while 11% children initiate breastfeeding at birth, She advised nursing mothers to breastfeed their children from birth to six months , exclusively. She explained that when a child is breastfed at birth, it helps the milk to flow well and the child to be healthy and bonded with the mother..
The Nutrition officer disclosed that in
On healthcare services ,she said that there is 1% consolidated Fund from the federal government to every state for up states to access. Onuorah noted that if states could access the fund, it will help to address the issues faced in the primary healthcare.
She announced that first week of August is World breastfeeding week and the theme is,” “Enabling breastfeeding in a working environment”. According to her, it is an avenue employed by the world to create awareness about breastfeeding.
‘It protects the child from infection,it prevents breast cancer, it prevents overian cancer”, she said.
She advised nursing mothers to always breastfeed their children ,saying that it will make them healthy.
Onuora said that UNICEF has a new country program ,that started in:2023 and will end in 2027. The program is aimed at ensuring that 10million Nigerian children have access to Education and good nutrition. It is also aimed at protecting the Rights of the child and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals(SDG). ” We are looking at 1,000 days of the child to 2 years of the child .UNICEF is supporting the government to approve the need to invest in the basic management of the child survival,and development’, she said .
Onuora disclosed that they will also take the advocacy to the legislative council.
The UNICEF team was led by their Chief, Juliet Chiluwe.
Author: Maureen Ikpeama