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Lagos Kicks Off 2025 Health Week To Combat Maternal, Child Deaths
Lagos – In a strategic push to expand access to critical health services, the Lagos State Government on Monday, June 23, 2025, kicked off the first phase of its bi-annual Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health Plus Nutrition Week (MNCH+N) in Alimosho, the state’s most populous local government area.
The launch set the stage for a week-long, statewide intervention aimed at scaling up free, lifesaving healthcare for vulnerable populations.
With the theme “Reaching for Zero Preventable Maternal and Child Deaths,” the initiative mobilises healthcare workers and resources across all 57 Local Government Areas and Local Council Development Areas.
The campaign runs through Friday, June 27, bringing essential services like immunization, nutrition support, antenatal care, and health education to doorsteps across Lagos.
According to health officials, the MNCH+N Week reflects the government’s broader goal to reduce health disparities and eliminate preventable deaths, especially among mothers, newborns, children, and adolescents. The choice of Alimosho for the campaign’s launch underscores the administration’s focus on high-need communities and its commitment to making comprehensive healthcare not just available—but accessible.
The First Lady, Dr. Claudiana Sanwo-Olu, addressing stakeholders, highlighted the significance of the MNCH+N Week as a critical intervention that empowers citizens with access to cost-effective, high-impact healthcare services that can transform health indices and save lives.
Dr. Claudiana Sanwo-Olu, represented by the wife of the Deputy Governor, Mrs. Oluremi Hamzat, described the MNCH+N Week as a “critical intervention” that brings high-impact, cost-effective health services closer to those who need them the most, especially women, children, and adolescents.
According to her, despite all efforts, the current under-five and infant mortality rates of 36 and 46 per 1,000 live births respectively remain a call to action. “No child deserves to die from preventable causes.”
She said: “Since its inception in Lagos in 2010, the MNCH+N Week has evolved into a national campaign. The week-long campaign will deliver a wide range of services including vitamin A supplementation, growth monitoring, free antenatal and postnatal care, family planning, counselling on home care, screening for malnutrition, as well as information and referral support for sexual and domestic violence cases.
“Services are offered free of charge daily from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at all public primary healthcare centres and designated outreach posts.”
Rises Against Quackery
Sanwo-Olu condemned the rising cases of quackery in maternal health services, urging citizens to avoid unregistered birth attendants and instead utilize services from licensed healthcare professionals or those registered under the Lagos State Traditional Medicine Board.
She issued stern warning against the use of unregistered birth attendants, which she said continue to endanger lives across communities. She urged families to seek care from licensed professionals or certified traditional medicine practitioners recognized by the Lagos State Traditional Medicine Board.
“Our communities must rise up to report illegal practices that put the lives of our women and children in danger,” she stated, reiterating the need for collective vigilance.
Spotlight On Alimosho
She continued, “The choice of Alimosho, Lagos’ most populous local government as the launch site was far from coincidental. Alimosho’s performance would significantly influence the outcome of the statewide outreach.”
She commended the local government’s history of community engagement and described the week as both “symbolic and strategic” in reaching grassroots populations with essential health services. She further advocate for wider registration under Ilera Eko, the state’s health insurance scheme, emphasizing that sustainability of care must extend beyond campaign periods.
Power In Collaboration
On his part, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Dr. Olusegun Ogboye, echoed the urgency of the campaign, calling on caregivers and families to take full advantage of the free services. He highlighted the inclusion of adolescents as beneficiaries, reflecting a broad-based strategy to reach every vulnerable group.
“Parents whose children have missed any vaccinations or Vitamin A doses should seize this opportunity. We also encourage communities to mobilize others to attend,” he urged.
Also, Representing development partners, Chief of Nutrition, United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Nigeria, Nemat Hajeebhoy, hailed the Lagos State Government for its consistency and innovation in maternal and child health. She revealed that in 2024 alone, MNCH+N Week in Lagos led to nearly six million children receiving Vitamin A and three million undergoing deworming.
Introducing the Child Nutrition Fund (CNF), a new financing mechanism that doubles state investments in critical nutrition commodities, Hajeebhoy called on Lagos to join other states already leveraging the initiative. “We are confident that Lagos, with its leadership and infrastructure, can be a model for nutrition financing in Nigeria,” she added.
Community Drive, Infrastructure Development
Chairman, Alimosho local government, Hon. Jelili Sulaimon, represented by Vice Chairman Hon. Akinpelu Johnson, took the occasion to inaugurate a new administrative building at the council secretariat. He described the MNCH+N Week as “timely and essential,” pledging that Alimosho would continue to prioritise healthcare, particularly for women and children.
“Good health is not just a right, it is the foundation of economic stability and personal development.
“The journey to zero preventable maternal and child deaths requires more than medical supplies; it demands collaboration, vigilance, and sustained political will. The MNCH+N Week may last only five days, but its impact, if fully embraced, could resonate for generations.”
Independent.ng
News
BREAKING: KWAM 1 Writes Ogun Govt, Accuses Fusengbuwa Ruling House of Plot to Exclude Him From Awujale Selection
Popular Fuji musician and Olori Omooba of Ijebu land, Alhaji Wasiu Ayinde Marshal, widely known as KWAM1, has written to Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, alleging that he is being deliberately sidelined from the ongoing process to select the next Awujale of Ijebu land.
Ayinde, in a petition dated January 8, 2026, accused the Fusengbuwa ruling house next in line to produce the monarch of taking actions that allegedly violate the Chieftaincy Declaration and the Obas and Chiefs Law of Ogun State. He claimed the moves were designed to disenfranchise him from contesting for the revered throne.
The letter, written on his behalf by his lawyer, Dr. Wahab Shittu, SAN, was addressed to Governor Abiodun and outlined what the Fuji star described as procedural irregularities in the selection process.
According to the petition, the contest for the Awujale stool has attracted over 60 aspirants, with Ayinde formally declaring his interest. However, the Fusengbuwa family has maintained that KWAM1 is not a member of the ruling house and is therefore ineligible to participate in the exercise.
Before writing to the governor, Ayinde had approached the Ogun State High Court sitting in Ijebu Ode, seeking an interim injunction to restrain Governor Abiodun and six others from continuing with the selection process. The court, however, dismissed the application, ruling that it lacked merit. The musician later withdrew the suit without publicly stating his reasons.
In his latest letter, Ayinde disclosed that the Ijebu Ode Local Government, via a letter dated January 6, 2026, signed by its Secretary, Oke Adebanjo, had approved the commencement of the selection process by the ruling house.
He expressed surprise that while members of the Fusengbuwa family were preparing for a general meeting, the family’s Public Relations Officer, Prince Adeleye Lateef Ademuyiwa, allegedly issued a notice directing aspirants to collect nomination forms and appear before a screening committee.
The screening committee, according to Ayinde, is chaired by Prince Alhaji Mitiu Adenuga. He further alleged that the directive fixed the nomination exercise for Monday, January 12, 2026, while also stating that the process would be conducted by delegates to be selected at a meeting scheduled for January 10, 2026.
Ayinde argued that the sequence of events was confusing, contradictory, and contrary to established laws guiding traditional chieftaincy matters in Ogun State.
As of the time of filing this report, neither the Ogun State Government nor the Fusengbuwa ruling house had officially responded to the allegations.
Lagos Reporters will continue to monitor developments surrounding the Awujale succession process and provide updates as the story unfolds.
News
“Do Not Test Trump’s Resolve”: US Issues Fresh Threat To Nigeria
A United States Congressman, Rep. Riley M. Moore, has warned Nigeria not to take the resolve of President Donald Trump with levity, adding that the US president remained steadfast in his bid to protect Christians in Nigeria, while reiterating the false allegation that Christians have continued to face prosecution in the West African country.
Moore’s warning came days after the US president issued another military action in Nigeria, adding that he would not be carrying out a single operation in Nigeria if the alleged Christian persecution continues in the country.
The threat came days after the United States launched a military strike in Sokoto, targeting some terrorist hideouts in the country. The strike affected other states such as Niger and Kwara.
However, Trump, in an interview with The New York Times, published on Thursday, January 8, while responding to questions about a US military strike carried out in Nigeria on Christmas Day, said: “I’d love to make it a one-time strike. But if they continue to kill Christians, it will be a many-time strike,” Trump said.
Moore took to social media to reiterate Trump’s second threat to the country and warned Nigeria against overlooking the threat. His warning did not sit well with many Nigerians, who took to the comment section of the post and expressed their views about his claim. Below are some of their comments:
Omolayo accused the US of bombing a Christian country, Venezuela, and stealing its oil: “What about Venezuela, which is 80% Christian? Trump doesn’t care about Christians, but I grudgingly welcome his presence in the northern part of Nigeria.”
Umar Yusuf Dayyabu knocked the US: “The same US that just finished bombing a Christian country (Venezuela) and is currently stealing their oil is now claiming to want to save Christians in Nigeria. The US only wants our natural resources, that’s it.”
Amadu Yahuza accused the Trump administration of imperialism: “Let’s be clear: if the U.S. is claiming to defend Christians in Nigeria but simultaneously tightens visa access for Nigerians broadly, including Christians, that is not solidarity, it’s hypocrisy. Trump’s statements about Nigerian Christians are political branding, while visa restrictions, federal actions, and international messaging are geopolitical moves.”
Garvy accused the lawmaker of turning a blind eye to the killing of Christians in the US: “I guess you were blind to Christians murdered right in front of your nose in Salt Lake City, and you were blind to that. Suppose their lives don’t matter, right?”
You can read more reactions on X here:
President Trump is serious about his steadfast support to protecting our brothers and sisters in Christ who continue to face persecution in Nigeria.
Do not test @POTUS' resolve. https://t.co/vd8t0LXdKc
— Rep. Riley M. Moore (@RepRileyMoore) January 9, 2026
News
Buhari’s Ex-Minister Pantami Breaks Silence Over Alleged Wedding Plan With Aisha Buhari
False claims linking former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Professor Isa Ali Pantami, with former First Lady, Hajiya Aisha Buhari, have been dismissed after an independent verification found the story to be entirely fabricated.
The rumour, which spread rapidly across Facebook and X, alleged that the two were planning a marriage and circulated alongside an image described online as a pre wedding photograph.
The post gained wide traction after several users pointed to Aisha Buhari’s completion of her Islamic mourning period following the death of former President Muhammadu Buhari in July 2025.
Public figures also reshared the image, drawing thousands of comments and reactions and fuelling speculation among social media users.
A fact check carried out by PRNigeria found no credible evidence supporting the claim. Reviews of the verified social media accounts of both Pantami and Aisha Buhari showed no statements or references linked to any marriage plan. Searches across reputable news platforms also returned no matching reports.
Further forensic analysis subjected the viral photograph to InVid verification and artificial intelligence detection tools. The assessment confirmed that the image was digitally manipulated and generated through artificial means, with faces inserted into a wedding-themed template.
Pantami addressed the allegation directly in a phone conversation with PRNigeria.
“It is shocking that anyone would fabricate such a rumour. President Buhari is a father figure to us, and we regard his widow as a mother. The claim is baseless and impossible,” he said.
Bashir Ahmad, a former media aide to the late president, also rejected the story on his Facebook page in Hausa.
“The story being circulated that Hajiya Aisha Buhari has agreed to marry Sheikh Isa Ali Pantami is an outright lie. There is absolutely no truth in it whatsoever,” Ahmad wrote.
Additional context emerged from a recently released biography titled From Soldier to Statesman: The Legacy of Muhammadu Buhari, authored by Dr. Charles Omole and launched at the State House in December 2025. The book records Aisha Buhari as stating clearly that she has no intention of remarrying, citing family responsibilities and a desire for a quieter public life.
The former president died in London on July 13, 2025, at the age of 82. He married Aisha Buhari in 1989 and is survived by his wife, children and grandchildren. Speculation around her personal life increased online after she completed the traditional mourning period in November 2025.
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