Alive & Thrive conducts orientation for Media practitioners on MIYCN
Alive & Thrive conducts orientation for Media practitioners on MIYCN
By: Femi Mustapha
Alive and Thrive has conducted an orientation for Media practitioners and Social Media influencers in Kaduna State to equip them to make a positive difference by advocating and harping on good Maternal, Infant, and Young Child Nutrition (MIYCN) and its benefits in ending malnutrition in the country.
The participants were drawn from broadcast, print, and online media platforms aimed at sensitizing them on how to promote MIYCN uptake.
Speaking at the orientation Zonal Coordinator of A&T, Sarah Kwasu, said, the two-day orientation is to ensure that the media reach out to communities with their reportage and empower them with preventive measures rather than curative measures which is not sustainable in MIYCN
Sarah said MIYCN is aimed at maximizing the impact on child growth and micronutrient status, focusing on maternal nutrition, delivery practices, and improved infant and young child feeding in Nigeria.
She hinted that her organization was scaling up MIYCN in Kaduna, Bauchi, Kano, Sokoto, Borno, Yobe and Lagos states from 2021 to 2026.
Sarah stressed that recognizing the importance of maternal nutrition for better health and well-being outcomes for both mothers and their children, her organization aimed at improving the delivery of maternal nutrition interventions in the focal states.
“To ensure success within the period, further said that A&T has been working with state governments, strengthening local capacities as well as supporting efforts for improvement at a national level.
“The objectives of the orientation are to orient mass and social media professionals and influencers on A&T MIYCN intervention in the state
” Engage the participants to discuss their roles in advocacy and massage dissemination to reach critical stakeholders in the state and get subgrantees familiarized with them for further engagement and get Participants commitments to promote key MIYCN practices through their various platforms,” She said
In his presentation, the Senior Social and Behaviour Change Communication Advisor of A & T Auwalu Kawu explained that the essence of the training was to build the capacity of the media practitioners and social media influencers on nutrition.
According to him, media practitioners have a role to play in creating more awareness on nutrition to Eno that people see the importance of eating quality food, especially pregnant women and lactating mothers”.
He advised women on the benefits of taking folic acid daily which he said enhances the person’s hormones, adding that good nutrition contributes to the health and wellbeing of people.
According to him, taking folic acid daily can help to prevent some major birth defects of the baby.
Similarly, a Nutrition expert Muhammed Sani Hassan disclosed that early initiation of breast milk increases mother and child survival.
Hassan, who is a Consultant Nutritionist at the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and also a technical adviser, at Kaduna State Emergency Nutrition Action Plan (KADNAP) said that early initiation helps the mother’s placenta to come out without delay and reduces excess bleeding after child’s birth.
According to him, pre-initiation of breastfeeding after delivery reduces maternal and infant mortality.
“Don’t expect the breastmilk to flow immediately after delivery. When a woman delivers a baby, the nipples become oily which can sustain the baby till the breastmilk starts flowing”.
