A women’s health advocacy group, Mama to Mama in Lau local government area of Taraba state on Friday commended the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF), over her community service initiatives.
Mama to Mama, supported by GAVI through UNICEF, is an initiative to improve women’s health and reduce the mortality rate of women during childbirth in ruler communities.
Mrs. Rukiya Muhammad, Mama to Mama leader in Lau ‘A’ Ward, Mrs. Nyatasha Rukanu and Mrs. Felicia Habila told journalists during a field visit in the area that the coming of Mama to Mama has reduced the health challenges of women in the area which hitherto happened due to ignorance.
“We want to commend UNICEF for the Mama to Mama initiative. The idea has improved the health of women in this community. Before now, we were ignorant of our health but the coming of Mama to Mama by UNICEF has changed our situation” They acknowledged.
Also, Mr Muhammad Belo Garba, a health personnel in charge PHCA facility in Lau said, that following the mama-to-mama health awareness in the area which 95 per cent of women have keyed in to, pregnant mothers and other vulnerable were being treated free due to the support from the basic health care provision insurance support fund.
Meanwhile, Mr. Danjuma Danumar Lau, the community leader appealed to the Taraba state government to support the Mama to Mama volunteer women’s group to burst their morale for more community services.
Earlier Ms Jennifer Dabo the UNICEF Social Behaviour Team Lead in Taraba State, and Mrs Christiana Habila Habu. Assistance State health educator for advocacy and health promotion, Taraba state primary health care development agency, explained during a meeting with journalists in Jalingo that the Mama to Mama initiative by UNICEF was to identify and sensitize women on health matters.
“Mama to Mama is a mother-supporting-mother initiative to help improve the health of women in ruler communities who are ignorant of their health challenges.
“The idea is to sensitize the women about their health, reduce the mortality rate of women especially during childbirth. Mama has 5,040 members in Taraba, with 30 members each per ward. Each ward has three groups with ten members each,” They explained.
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