BY BUKOLA BARDI
The Ondo State government has tasked members of the state’s Social and Behaviour Change Committee to increase their Sensitization efforts on birth registration and vaccination to enable government at all levels to make adequate plans for the development and survival of children.
The administrative secretary, Ondo state ministry of Information, Mr Olanrewaju Akarakiri gave the charge at the opening of the first quarterly meeting of the Social and Behaviour Change Committee, SBCC organised by UNICEF and the state government.
Mr Akarakiri emphasised that the set goal for the committee was not only to inform and educate but to empower individuals and communities to make decisions that would improve their lives and those around them.
He commended UNICEF for its commitment to the wellbeing of mothers and children in Ondo state through the various supports so far rendered.
Also in an opening remark, the Director, Orientation and Mobilisation, Ondo state ministry of Information, Mr Tony Adetoye who explained that the meeting was to explore ways of further collaboration on maternal and child wellbeing harped on the need for more sensitisation on key areas of child rights acts which are rights to survival and rights to identity.
During a presentation, UNICEF Lagos field officer and Social Behaviour Specialist, Mrs Aderonke Akinola-Akinwole enjoined stakeholders to take responsibility, plan, implement and harmonise all activities that promote child survival while also stressing on documentation of such efforts for adequate planning.
She said UNICEF would continue to support any Multi- sectoral efforts aimed at promoting the realization of children’s rights, leveraging on Social and Behaviour Change approaches.
In another presentation, the Director, Community health services and education, Ondo state primary healthcare development agency, Dr Samuel Abiona harped on the need for stakeholders to read widely, conduct research and document findings on activities that could enhance Child survival in the state.
Presenting report of activities conducted during the quarter under review, the Ondo state deputy health educator, Mrs Olubunmi Obaromi explained that various strategies, including a new initiative tagged BIG CATCH UP were adopted to get more children immunised across five local government areas used in piloting the project.
Mrs Obaromi however highlighted challenges of bad roads, insecurity and poor network for prompt delivery of short messages to mothers in respect of immunisation, demanding more government attention to overcome such hitches.
Representatives of the National Population Commission, National Orientation Agency and the Ondo State ministry of health also gave reports of the activities in the quarter under review, focusing on children development and survival.