Imo Health Ministry Partners Key Stakeholders to End Maternal, Neonatal Mortality

Imo state government has taken a giant leap towards a healthier future to erect a beacon of hope in Mothers and Newborns, as the state’s ministry of health partners with  key stakeholders of health around the world in a five day workshop to tackle the pressing issues of Maternal and Neonatal Mortality during a Maternal & Neonatal Mortality Reduction Innovation Initiative (mamII) workshop.

The community centered drive stormed Umuohiagu Community at Ngor Okpala local government area last Saturday to mark the conclusion of mamII’s five days Implementation Design workshop held in Imo last week.

According mamII report, Imo State has been on record as one of the Nigerian States with high maternal and infant mortality, while Ngor was pinpointed alongside two other local government to be one of the most vulnerable.

Imo State’s Honourable commissioner for health, Dr. (Mrs.) Chioma Egu stated that maternal mortality is preventable, also charged women to spread the statement across, while urging pregnant women to deliver in safe hands, in her words “… No woman should die while giving life , too many preventable death still occur through pregnancy and childbirth, and that is unacceptable” adding that the program is innovative and strategic in order to ensure safe pregnancy and delivery to women in communities, making it clear that health workers are the life wire of mamII.

While activating the Maternal & Neonatal Mortality Reduction Innovation Initiative (mamII) at Umuohiagu health center in Ngor Okpala local government area, the Hon. commissioner admonished clergies, traditional rulers and opinion moulders of communities to join in the advocacy to combat Maternal and Neonatal Mortality, also charged women in Ngor Okpala to make the efforts of the government and other stakeholders worth it, she encouraged every woman in the community to  register with government’s health insurance scheme for free, advising them to avoid quacks.

She expressed gratitude to Nigeria’s president, Bola Ahmed Tinubu  for paying adequate attention to the health sector, and thanked the Health Minister, Prof. Ali Pate for the fight against Maternal and Neonatal mortality across the 172 Local governments with over 55 percent Mortality ratio, also expressed gratitude to Imo State governor, Senator Hope Uzodinma for his commitments to equip primary health centers, so that no woman will die during and after childbirth, she described the governor as a caring governor who has been supportive through employing professional approaches to sustain a healthy life in the state.

Speaking at the event, the National Coordinator Maternal & Neonatal Mortality Reduction Innovation Initiative, Dr. Dayo Adeyanju sensitized women on the dangers involved in resorting to a non-patent health facilities for medical attention, reminding them that the government had made everything easy, also told beneficiaries to dispense the information in their respective homes and communities, so none would die of vaccine-preventable disease.

He made it clear that all registered women are eligible to free tonic and a Mama kit for delivery, while pleading with them to register in their best interest.

Dr. Adeyanju reiterated that research has it that reports of death in communies arise from negligence of patent health centers.

 He further revealed that mamII chose Imo state because it was captured as one of the states leading in high maternal morality, with  it’s three local governments on focus in mamII’s map , which Ngor Okpala happen to be one of the three.

mamII coordinator applauded the efforts of Nigeria President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the executive governor of Imo State, Senator Hope Uzodinma for tireless supports, also commended the honourable commissioner for health in Imo State, Dr. (Mrs.) Chioma Egu for working in synergy with several bodies to make sure no woman dies during and after childbirth.

At the highpoint of the occasion, a documented agreement was delivered to the commissioner from mamII by it’s national coordinator to signify the launch of the mamII initiative in the local Government.

Imo health commissioner also Inaugurated the state’s steering committee for mamII, which is comprised of partners from UNICEF, Who, traditional rulers, SA’s and TA’s to Imo state governor among others, with Dr. Chioma Egu as the Chairperson of the committee.

Some beneficiaries from Umuohiagu testified to the ongoing free maternal and neonatal care, three unraveled that they went through cesarean section without paying money.

Participants were also instructed to report any health worker(s) trying to extort money from them.