By Laide Akinboade, Abuja

In order to address the challenges of malnutrition, the Federal Government said it has distributed over 1.3 million bottles of Multiple Micronutrient Supplements (MMS) across 12 states, with an additional three million bottles scheduled for delivery by the end of September.

The acting Director, Information and Public Relations, Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Ado Bako, disclosed this in a statement in Abuja. According to him, the supplements were to address the nutrition needs of pregnant women and significantly reduce the prevalence of micronutrient deficiency.The MMS is for pregnant women and is a daily dose of 15 essential vitamins and minerals, including iron and folic acid, which ensures that they receive more of the essential nutrients that contribute to healthier pregnancies and provide better birth outcomes.It was aimed at reducing the rate of maternal and infant mortality in Nigeria.The Federal Government adopted the use of MMS based on the 2020 World Health Organisation (WHO) recommendation on antenatal care for positive pregnancy experience.Bako said that the MMS initiative aligns with WHO recommendations and the second pillar of the ministry’s four-point agenda to improve health outcomes.He added that this was particularly in light of the Global Nutritional Report 2022, which revealed that the country was a long way from reducing Anaemia among women of reproductive age.“In Nigeria, Iron Deficiency Anaemia (IDA) remains the most common micronutrient deficiency, affecting 60 percent of pregnant women, according to the Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) 2018.“These deficiencies not only put women at higher risk of severe health complications during pregnancy but also increase the likelihood of low birth weight, stillbirth and developmental delays in children.“MMS offers a comprehensive solution to these challenges. The daily supplement containing 15 essential vitamins and minerals designed to be taken throughout pregnancy, has emerged as a cost-effective solution in global maternal health interventions.“This is with a proven ability to reduce the risk of low birth weight by 21 per cent, stillbirth by nine per cent, and Small for Gestational Age (SGA) cases by 10 per cent.”Bako said that the introduction of MMS was part of the Federal Government’s broader strategy to enhance maternal and child health services.He recalled that in 2021, MMS was incorporated into the National Guidelines for the Prevention and Control of Micronutrient Deficiencies, demonstrating the government’s commitment to improving nutrition as an integral component of antenatal care.Bako said that the Federal Government estimated a demand of 421 million MMS tablets for 2024 to meet the needs of pregnant women.“While recent support and donations from various international partners like UNICEF and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation have been beneficial to this initiative, it is imperative to note that the doses received are merely a top-up to the doses already allocated for the rollout.