The Plateau Government has adopted the use of incentives to attract pregnant women to attend antenatal clinic to reduce maternal and infant mortality in the state.
The state Commissioner for Health, Dr Kunden Deyin, in Jos Plateau state, said that all expectant mothers who attend antenatal care in the various primary healthcare centres would receive free Long Lasting Insecticide Treated Nets (LLINs).
Dr Deyin explained that the strategy would spur more pregnant women in the state, especially those in rural areas, to seek antennal care.
According to him, the antenatal care visits during pregnancy saves the lives of the mother and child adding that the incentives also cover children.
“Children that have completed routine immunisation, particularly Penta3, would also collect the LLINs, saying that the act would encourage more parents and guardians to avail their children and wards for the various immunisation”, he said.
“This will also help to reduce the barest infant and children preventable deaths caused by preventable childhood diseases”, the commissioner added.
He advised parents and care givers to ensure that all children under five years and pregnant women sleep under the nets at all times to prevent malaria.
Dr Deyin further disclosed that the state government was also revitalising the Drug Efficacy Testing Centre at the Barikin Ladi General Hospital to ensure that the Malaria drugs given out were actually efficient in the treatment of the disease.
He said that the state government has ensured the constant supply of Artesunate injection for the treatment of severe malaria cases in secondary and tertiary health institutions across the state and Rapid Diagnosis Test Kits to further reduce malaria burden.
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