By Haruna Gimba
The Lagos state Government has launched Maternal and Child Mortality Reduction Programme as strategy towards reducing maternal and child mortality ration in the state.
The Special Adviser to the Governor Akinwumi Ambode, on Primary Health Care, Dr. Olufemi Onanuga, revealed this at a news conference to kick-off the implementation of the first round of the yearly Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Week (MNCH) celebration. .
Dr. Onanuga said the state government will not relent on its oars but take preventive measures against maternal and child deaths.
He said maternal and child (under five years) health indices have emerged as the most important health indices that determine global and national wellbeing, adding that the 2013 National Demographic Survey, the national indices for neonatal, infant, under-five children and mothers, were far from cheering.
The special adviser added that the 2013 national Maternal Mortality Rates of 576/100,000 live births compared with the 2010 data of 545/100,000 live births is an indication that everyone has to involve concerning maternal and child health interventions.
He said: “It is for this reason that I fully lend my voice and support to the integrated Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Strategy adopted in Nigeria as a panacea to frontally tackle the twin issue of maternal and child mortality.”
Speaking on the state of preparedness by the government, Onanuga said the first round of year 2016 MNCH Week slated to hold between June 13 and June 17 will entail a wide range of high-impact and low-cost package of protective, preventive services will be provided to the whole family during the week in an integrated manner.
