The introduction of Multiple Micronutrient Supplements (MMS) has significantly reduced cases of anaemia among pregnant women receiving antenatal care at Dutse-Alhaji Primary Healthcare Centre in the Federal Capital Territory.

Officer-in-Charge of the facility, Deborah Joshua, disclosed this on Wednesday during a media field visit organised by Civil Society-Scaling Up Nutrition (CS-SUNN) to sensitise pregnant women to the benefits of MMS.

She said MMS simplified supplementation, as essential nutrients were contained in a single daily tablet, leading to fewer women presenting with anaemia, while those already anaemic were stabilised before delivery.

“Most of our women are doing well, and for the few who were anaemic before starting antenatal care, we restore them before labour,” Ms Joshua said, adding that each woman receives a free bottle of 180 tablets.

Ms Joshua emphasised that MMS worked best when combined with routine checks, counselling, and close monitoring during pregnancy, noting that operational challenges such as inadequate human resources could slow service delivery.

The FCT State Nutrition Officer, Chinyere Ekwueme, described MMS as a “game-changer” because it contained 15 micronutrients compared to two in previous iron and folic acid (IFA) tablets.

She said mothers preferred MMS due to its better smell and reduced nausea, which improved compliance and birth outcomes, stressing that antenatal attendance at certified facilities remained essential.

Ms Ekwueme urged communities to report any health worker found selling the free supplements, warning that such practices undermined maternal and infant health.

She also encouraged the FCT Administration to adopt the Child Nutrition Fund (CNF) for sustainable supply.

The Communications and Campaign Manager for CS-SUNN, Peter Olusola, explained that the CNF was a matching fund managed by UNICEF, doubling government contributions for nutrition commodities.

He noted the opportunity was time-bound and ended in 2030.

Pregnant women at the facility lauded MMS for improving their health.

A third-time mother, Precious Innocent, said her blood levels improved compared with previous pregnancies, while Grace Danjuma said the daily tablets were easy to take and allowed her to remain active without discomfort.
(NAN)