MMS Be Like New King For Pregnant Women Wetin Fit Save Life

You sabi as e be, naija women dey face plenty wahala when e come to health issues during pregnancy. For 2021, our former Health Minister jam new plan wey he call Multiple Micronutrient Supplementation (MMS). Dis plan na to tackle serious matta like anaemia and malnutrition wey dey affect plenty pregnant women for Naija.

Before, dem dey use Iron–Folic Acid wey no dey solve the problem well well, but now MMS don come be like better guy for antenatal care. Di World Health Organization don already drop beta news say MMS dey reduce low birthweight, preterm birth, and even stillbirth pass di old method.

Now, as we dey enter 2026, e be like say di whole transition no dey go as planned. Some states like Bauchi and Kano don start small-small, but nationwide, na still IFAS we dey see for many hospitals. E dey wonder wetin dey happen because some states no get MMS ready for pregnant women, while some hospitals still dey rely on IFAS.

But no be say our current government no dey try o! Dem don show clear signs say dem wan fully embrace MMS by 2029. For January 2024, dem clearly talk say MMS na di better option for pregnant women. Dem even distribute over 1.3 million bottles of MMS for 12 states, with plan to increase am to 3 million and beyond.

But hear this! With about 12 million pregnancies wey dey happen every year for Naija, di donations from organizations no dey reach wetin we need. Dem don even include MMS for National Essential Medicines List, so e fit dey sold everywhere dem dey take care of pregnant women.

For December 2025, government release new strategies to push MMS forward by launching Roadmap for Scaling MMS and Nutrition in Emergencies Strategy. Dem dey put plenty plans wey fit provide better support for MMS, but we still need local manufacturers to step up make supply no dey hampered by foreign donations.

Although dem don budget about N120 million for MMS, e dey too small compared to di N19 billion wey dem need for full transition. Na why progress dey slow and anaemia among pregnant women still dey high, about 50% according to National Demographic Health Survey.

We need ensure say all hospitals dey follow di same rule with MMS, so say no hospital go dey default to IFAS. Na wetin Nutrition-774 initiative dey try push, if we no fund MMS well, hospitals wey get money go carry MMS, while di ones wey no get go still dey use IFAS. This no go help any wahala!

We go need make di government declare MMS as di only way to go for preventive care and quickly phase out IFAS. Di Ministry of Health go fit check progress and resolve wahala wey dey happen for ground via Nutrition-774 coordination.

Make dem also update di treatment guidelines, so our local manufacturers go fit get di correct specifications and supply don dey steady. Even e get new programs from di EU and World Bank wey fit support Nigeria to achieve full MMS transition. This way, we fit ensure say our women no go face wahala again during pregnancy. Naija dey expect better tomorrow!