CHILD HEALTH PROMOTION WEEK, 2017
From 8th – 12th May, 2017.
Theme: HEALTHY CHILD, START RIGHT, DO IT RIGHT FOR TOTAL GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT.
Take your child under 5years to the nearest Government health facility FROM 8th – 12th May, 2017 for the following essential services, free of charge.
- Birth registration of children under one years.
- Bed nets for children aged 18th months
- Weighing of children
- Feeding advice
- Vitamin A supplementation
- Immunization against childhood diseases
Child Health Promotion Week Key Messages
Pregnant women
- Visit the antenatal clinic as soon as you know you are pregnant and attend ANC regularly for a healthy pregnancy and a safe delivery.
- Take ONLY medicines you are given at the antenatal clinic for a healthy pregnancy and a healthy baby.
- If you feel unwell before your next antenatal appointment, report immediately to the health facility.
- Prepare to deliver at a health facility
- Eat fruit and vegetables with your meals every day.
Caregivers
- Visit the health facility 2 times in the first week after birth for you and your baby to be checked and treated if necessary.
- Start breast feeding within 30 minutes after delivery and give your baby only breast milk from birth till 6 months.
- At 6 month start given a variety of other foods and continue breastfeeding until the child is at least 2 years old.
- Always cover your body well to keep him/her warm
- Always wash your hands with soap under running water before handling your baby and after visiting the toilet or changing your baby.
- Keep your baby’s cord clean and dry always. Apply ONLY methylated spirit or Chlorhexidine on the cord. The cord may fall off within a week to eight days which is normal.
- Complete your child’s immunizations before the child is 2 years old.
- Childhood vaccines are safe. They protect children from some diseases that can kill them.
- Ensure your child receives all vaccines, including the second dose of measles-rubella and meningitis A vaccine, by age 2 to be fully protected from vaccine preventable diseases.
- Always take your sick child immediately to the health facility for early treatment.
- Sleep with your child under an insecticide treated net every night to Prevent malaria.
- Register your baby at birth or within one year for free. It gives the child legal recognition and social protection.
- Take your child for weighing regularly from birth till he/she is 5 years.
- Birth spacing improves the health of mothers and children. Talk to your health provider about family planning.