By Haruna Gimba
The Ogun State Government has said it is committed to ensuring a zero maternal and child mortality.
The government said it would strengthen and ensure qualitative and efficient health care delivery, reduce maternal, newborn and child deaths.
Wife of the Governor, Mrs. Olufunsho Amosun spoke at the kick-off of the December Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Week (MNCHW) and induction of Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child, Adolescent Health Champions (RMNCAH) at Sango Primary Health Centre in Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government Area.
Mrs. Olufunso Amosun
In a statement by the press officers of Ogun State Primary Health Care Board, Mrs. Yemisi Fashola and Shola Ogunbanwo, the governor’s wife assured residents that the government would improve maternal health and reduce child mortality.
Mrs Olufunsho said no woman should die giving birth, adding that neither should children die when they are being born.
She said: “I strongly believe that women shouldn’t die in the process of giving birth and neither should children die in the process of coming to life. Therefore, there is need to strengthen the health system to reduce maternal, newborn and child mortality.
“I speak confidently when I say that the Ogun State government is committed to improving maternal health and reducing child mortality.”
The governor’s wife noted that the campaign is aimed at improving health of the family, especially expectant mothers’ and children under five.
The Commissioner of Health, Dr Babatunde Ipaye, advised parents and guardians to ensure that their children and wards of ages 0-5 took advantage of the programme.
He highlighted some of the services as routine immunisation, de-worming, malnutrition testing, Vitamin A supplementation as well as free counselling and testing on HIV/AIDS and health education on key household practices.
Dr Ipaye said the Ibikunle Amosun administration had put in place measures to boost primary health care delivery to build and renovate defective health centres, employ health personnel, train and retrain existing health workers, provide drugs, maintain cold and central
medical stores across the state.
