Kwara targets 1.2m women, children for free healthcare services

By Muyideen Aliyu

Kwara State Government has planned to reach 1.2 million children and pregnant women during the 2026 Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (MNCH) Week, while reaffirming that services remain free at all Primary Health Care facilities across the state.

The week-long intervention is scheduled to hold across the 16 Local Government Areas of the State, aimed at improving the health and nutritional status of women and children through the provision of integrated, high-impact health services.

This was made known by the Executive Secretary, Kwara State Primary Health Care Development Agency (KWSPHCDA) Prof. Nusirat Elelu, said the programme would provide a range of free healthcare services to pregnant women, children under five years of age, and eligible nine-year-old girls.

According to her, “The services to be provided during the exercise includes routine immunization, Vitamin A supplementation, deworming, nutrition screening, growth monitoring, antenatal care services, birth registration, HIV prevention interventions, as well as Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination for eligible girls.

Elelu noted that the agency is targeting over one million children under the age of five, about 200,000 pregnant women, and more than 7,000 eligible nine-year-old girls across the State during the exercise.

She explained that, adequate preparations have been made to ensure the successful implementation of the programme, including the training of health workers, strengthening of logistics and vaccine distribution systems, community mobilization activities, and collaboration with traditional, religious, and community leaders.

The Executive Secretary explained that services would be provided through Primary Health Care centres, outreach posts, community gathering points, markets, palaces, and other designated service delivery points to ensure that no eligible beneficiary is left behind.

She added that school-based teams would administer HPV vaccines to eligible girls in schools across the State emphasized that the HPV vaccine is safe, effective, and remains one of the most reliable tools for preventing cervical cancer later in life.

Elelu urged parents and caregivers to ensure that eligible girls receive the vaccine during the exercise.
commended the administration of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq for its continued investment in the health sector, particularly in the areas of health infrastructure development, provision of medical equipment, and strengthening of Primary Health Care services across the State.

She commended the support of development partners, including UNICEF, WHO, the World Bank, Vitamin Angels, and other stakeholders whose contributions continue to enhance healthcare service delivery in the State.

While calling on residents to take full advantage of the exercise, . Elelu reassured the public that all services to be provided during the MNCH Week are completely free.urged parents, caregivers, and pregnant women to visit the nearest Primary Health Care facility and participate in the exercise in order to improve the health and wellbeing of mothers and children across the State.