LASG kicks off annual mother, infant and child development programme across Lagos
The Lagos State Government, through the Office of Political, Legislative and Civic Engagement (OPL&CE), has commenced the 2026 Mother, Infant and Child Development (MICHD) Programme across the six Health Districts of the state.
The Health District I edition of the programme was held at the Taofeek Adaranijo Event Centre, 228 Ipaja Road, Abekoko, beside the Orile-Agege Local Council Development Area Secretariat, Lagos.
Speaking at the flag-off ceremony, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Political, Legislative and Civic Engagement, Dr Afolabi Abiodun Tajudeen, said the initiative was designed to promote maternal and child wellbeing, improve access to essential nutritional support and strengthen awareness of available healthcare services.
He said the programme was part of the state government’s continued commitment to social protection, support for vulnerable families and ensuring that women and children were not left behind in the development process.
Dr Afolabi noted that the health and nutrition of children in their early years could significantly influence their future, stressing that mothers also required adequate care, support and access to relevant health information.
He said the development of Lagos must go hand in hand with the wellbeing of families.
According to him, 5,000 nutritional food packs would be distributed to pregnant women across the six Health Districts under the 2026 MICHD Programme, representing an increase from the over 2,000 pregnant women who benefited from the intervention across the Health Districts in 2025.
He explained that beyond the distribution of food packs, the initiative provided an opportunity for the government to engage directly with residents, receive feedback and strengthen the connection between government programmes and the people they were designed to serve.
In her remarks, the Permanent Secretary, OPL&CE, Engr Sholabomi Shasore, said the programme was designed to bring government closer to the people and create an opportunity for meaningful engagement with residents.
She said such initiatives were part of the Lagos State Government’s efforts to promote inclusive governance and better understand the needs of communities, particularly issues affecting the health and wellbeing of mothers and children.
Engr Shasore encouraged residents to freely share their experiences, concerns and suggestions on ways healthcare and other government services could be improved.
She said direct feedback from residents would enable the government to better understand community needs, identify areas requiring attention and strengthen policies and programmes aimed at improving the quality of life of families across the state.
She also urged healthcare workers to share their experiences and observations from the communities they serve, stressing that their feedback was equally important to effective governance and service delivery.
She emphasised that sustained engagement among government, healthcare providers and residents would help identify gaps, strengthen healthcare delivery and ensure that services provided at the grassroots effectively responded to community needs.
Giving his opening remarks, the Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Health District I, Dr Sola Pitan, appreciated Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu and the Deputy Governor, Dr Kadri Obafemi Hamzat, for their continued commitment to healthcare delivery, particularly for pregnant women, mothers and children.
Pitan said the programme was another demonstration of the state government’s commitment to providing accessible and quality healthcare services at the grassroots.
He commended Medical Officers of Health and other healthcare professionals for their dedication and contributions to strengthening healthcare delivery and improving the wellbeing of residents.
He urged residents to take advantage of healthcare facilities across the state to access essential health services.
Pitan also encouraged residents to protect themselves and their families against diphtheria, advising anyone who develops symptoms or suspects exposure to promptly report to a healthcare facility for appropriate medical attention.
He noted that diphtheria treatment was provided free of charge by the Lagos State Government and urged residents not to delay in seeking medical care.
He further encouraged beneficiaries to register for Ilera Eko, the Lagos State Health Insurance Scheme, to access affordable and quality healthcare services, while urging parents and caregivers to ensure that children received their free routine immunisation.
In his goodwill message, the Executive Chairman of Orile-Agege LCDA, Hon. Akinola Abiodun Idowu, described the event as an initiative that directly impacted the health and wellbeing of mothers, infants and children.
He called on residents to take advantage of the free health services available, including routine immunisation, family planning, Vitamin A supplementation, malnutrition screening, birth registration, maternal healthcare, HIV screening, and tuberculosis screening and treatment.
Idowu also urged mothers to make the most of the opportunity by seeking timely medical attention and adopting healthy practices that would promote the wellbeing of their families.
He commended the Lagos State Government, OPL&CE, the Lagos State Primary Health Care Board and Health District I for bringing healthcare interventions closer to the people.
He assured residents that Orile-Agege LCDA would continue to collaborate with relevant stakeholders to support programmes aimed at improving the health and welfare of residents.
A major highlight of the event was the distribution of nutritional food packs containing dry pap, milk, beverage, oat flour, semovita, beans, garri, rice and eggs to pregnant women to support maternal nutrition and promote the health and wellbeing of expectant mothers and their unborn children.
