By Asma’u Ahmad
The Minister of State for Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, has inaugurated a committees on improving the quality of healthcare for mothers newborn and children in the country.
Dr. Ehanire made this known said in a statement issued by Director of Media and Public Relations in the ministry, Mrs. Boade Akinola in Abuja.
He said that the committee would drive the process of improving the quality of healthcare for mothers, newborn and children in a coordinated manner.
He thanked the World Health Organisation (WHO) for accepting Nigeria’s admission into the WHO-led Network towards improving the quality of healthcare for mothers, newborns and children.
Dr. Osagie Ehanire
He reiterated that Nigeria’s support of the WHO vision that every pregnant woman and newborn receives quality healthcare throughout, childbirth and the post-natal period.
The minister said that the Federal Government was committed towards developing healthcare strategies and plan in line with WHO‘s recommendation.
He gave an assurance that with the calibre of members in the steering and technical committees, Nigeria could make progress toward reducing maternal, newborn and child deaths.
According to him, members of the steering committee are Minister of Health, Minister of State for Health, Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Minister of Finance, Minister of Agriculture, Minister of Education and Minister of water resources.
Others are Minister of Environment, Minister of Information and Culture, Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Health, Director, Department of Health Services, Director, Family Health Department and Director, Health Planning Research and Statistics, among others.
Osagie Ehanire said that the committee was charged with the task of providing high level leadership for the coordination of quality of care (QoC) interventions for reproductive, maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health in Nigeria.
He also mentioned overseeing partners and donors mapping, identify and mobilize resources from Global and local partners for implementation of the national RMNCAH QoC roadmap and operational plan,
He said that the committee would provide high level support to the WHO-led QoC network and implementation of the operational plan at country level.
The Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Mrs. Binta Bello said that the inauguration was coming at a time when several strategies were being put in place for Nigeria to attain the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030.
