Jigawa Govt, NI Take Measures To Dispel Misconceptions On Use of MMS By Pregnant Women : Ahmed Aminu, Dutse
The Jigawa state government in partnership with Nutrition International (NI) has trained 240 Antenatal Care (ANC) workers to educate pregnant women on the benefits of Multiple Micronutrient Supplements (MMS).
The capacity-building sessions, held in four clusters in Dutse, Gumel, Hadejia, and Kazaure, is toaddress misconceptions on the effects of the supplements.
The training equipped the ANC providers with updated knowledge and communication techniques to help pregnant women understand, accept, and correctly use the supplements.
Speaking to The Syndicate in Dutse, Jigawa state capital, an Assistant Nutrition Officer, Mrs. Amina Ibrahim, said the training became necessary after findings showed that many pregnant women, especially in rural communities, were either skipping the supplements or using them incorrectly due to widespread misconceptions.
She explained that some women avoided MMS based on cultural beliefs or misinformation from non-experts who claimed the supplements make babies “too big,” thereby causing complications during delivery.
“Many women collect the supplements from the clinic but keep them aside without taking them. This places them at increased risk of anemia and other pregnancy-related complications,” she said.
Mrs. Ibrahim explains the importance of MMS for maternal health.
“The supplement improves the nutritional status of pregnant women. It contains essential vitamins, minerals, iron, calcium, and zinc to fill the nutritional gaps that many women, especially in rural areas, face due to limited access to balanced diets.”
Speaking during the training, the Primary Health Care Manager for Gumel, Malam Ya’u Nuhu Adamu, said the initiative aims to reduce maternal and child deaths by strengthening the capacity of health workers to promote and properly administer MMS.
He called on husbands to support their wives in adopting the habit of taking MMS regularly to ensure healthier pregnancies and safer deliveries.
A Senior Programme Officer, Ayodele Gbemileke, who represented the Country Director of Nutrition International, reaffirmed NI’s long-standing partnership with Jigawa State in improving maternal and child nutrition.
He urged participants to step down the knowledge gained to women attending ANC clinics statewide and commended the state government for its commitment to enhancing maternal health services.
Participants were encouraged to remain focused throughout the two-day training and to play active roles in dispelling harmful myths surrounding MMS use in their communities.
