ABSTRACT

Women of child-bearing age (especially pregnant and lactating women), infants and young children are in the most nutritionally- vulnerable stages of the life cycle. This study assessed the implementation of Maternal and Child nutrition and health policies and their level of implementation in Abia State. The objective of this study was determined with the following four objectives, to identify the maternal and child health/nutrition policies and their level of implementation in Abia State as well as to analyze and provide evidence on the key characteristics of maternal and child health/ nutrition policies and their guideline in Nigeria, to reveal the data landscape and priority of maternal and child health/nutrition policies. The population of the work includes documents on nutrition/ health policies on maternal and child health policies from Federal Ministry of Health and National Primary health care development agency from 2000 to 2023 which was used to rate the level of implementation of Maternal and child health/nutrition policies in Abia State.In other to perfect the research. A cross-section survey design was adopted and a detailed study characteristic table was used to explain the policies which includes, the policy name, nature of document, category of document, policy timeline, source of document, policy action and themathics. Information on maternal and child health/nutrition policy was isolated from the Federal ministry of health and primary health care development agency umuahia. The staff and those in charge of the policy documents were interviewed, and-information was isolated from some of the policy documents found there while some were found in the internet. The result from the study showed that the policies on maternal and child health/nutrition in Abia state has been met with mixed results, some of the policies has been implemented while some have faced challenges. Some of the policies that has been implemented include; infant and young child feeding, maternal and adolescent girls nutrition, maternal and child health program, prevention of mother to child transmission, these programs mentioned have seen a wide coverage and has been implemented in the whole of Abia State. These programs provide a comprehensive package of services to women, adolescent and children, including antenatal care, delivery, postnatal care, immunization and early child development. The program has been shown to be effective in reducing maternal and child mortality rates, other programs discovered onsite that has been successful and implemented includes: Maternal and child survival program, maternal and newborn health surveillance program, maternal and child week, baby friendly initiative program, National program on immunization, school health, world exclusive breastfeeding week. Finally there is shortage of qualified health workers in Abia state, this shortage has made it difficult to implement some of the policies effectively for example the maternal and child health program requires a team skilled health workers to provide the comprehensive package of services. The Government needs 'to address these challenges in other to improve the health and wellbeing of women and children in Abia state, train and recruit more qualified health workers, increase funding for maternal and child health program, monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of maternal and child health program.