• Tasks religious institutions on pre-marital counselling
• Partners FHI 360 to boost maternal, infant, child nutrition
Lagos State Government, yesterday, said that 60 per cent of survivors of domestic violence knew about the abusive tendency of their intending spouses. Executive Secretary, Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency (DSVA), Mrs. Titilola Vivour-Adeniyi, who disclosed this at a one-day roundtable meeting with religious leaders and institutions on mandatory pre-marital counselling, said that a research revealed that 60 per cent of survivors of domestic violence, that had contracted their marriages under the Matrimonial Causes Act, knew about the abusive tendency of their intending spouses.
She said that despite being aware of the red flags, the survivors still proceeded with the union with little or no knowledge of available supports or coping mechanisms.
“The data also revealed that financial dependency, third-party interference, lack of communication, lack of sexual satisfaction, unrealistic expectation and infidelity have been identified as triggers contributing to domestic violence and others.
“Furthermore, about 70 per cent of survivors claimed they had previously reported to their pastor or Imams,” she said. Vivour-Adeniyi, therefore, said that it is expedient to task religious leaders on pre-marital counselling for intending couples.
IN another development, the Lagos State Government, in collaboration with Alive & Thrive (FHI 360), has engaged three Community-Based Organisations (CBOs) as partners on accelerating the scale of Maternal, Infant and Young Child Nutrition (MIYCN) project, with funding from Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
The project, being implemented in seven states of Nigeria, aimed at enhancing child health and development outcomes and saving lives through a sustainable programme of optimal maternal, infant and young child nutrition.
Director, Medical Services and Disease Control, State Primary Health Care Board, Dr. Adenike Oluwo, represented by Nutrition Officer, Dr. Adetoke Adekitan, encouraged the CBOs to be creative and innovative in their approach towards strengthening MIYCN outcomes.
She also urged them to leveraging on available platforms within the local councils and communities to reach mothers and caregivers. Adekitan further said their mission in Lagos State healthcare is to provide coverage of quality, effective and efficient primary care.
Also, the State Nutrition Officer, Ministry of Health, Mrs. Braheem Olubunmi, added that the CBOs’ commitment is vital in improving nutrition indices for mothers, infant and young children within the state.
Reproductive Health/SEMCHIC Programme Officer, Dr. Veronica Iwayemi, advised expectant mothers under 20 weeks to register to see the child development, identify complications and go for antenatal at least four times.
She further said that their aim was to implement the Lagos State policy on primary health care through community participation, collaboration, utilisation of appropriate technology and others.
She charged the CBOs to help with information gathering to make informed decisions to deal with issues effective and efficient.
