Nigeria has one of the highest maternal mortality rates globally –MWAN boss

By SIMEON MPAMUGOH

The newly elected president of Medical Women’s Association of Nigeria (MWAN), Dr (Mrs.) Christiana Campbell, has expressed concern over the continued rise on the maternal and pre-natal mortality levels in Nigeria, 21 years after the launching of the Safe Motherhood Initiatives (SMI).

She made the disclosure recently at the 17th Biennial Conference of the association held under the distinguished chairpersonship of Senator (Mrs) Oluremi Tinubu, in Lagos.

Campbell revealed that available statistics indicate that Nigeria has one of the highest rates of maternal mortality in the developing world, adding that the country’s maternal mortality ratio estimated at 800 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births in 2000, with the neonatal mortality rate standing at 98 deaths per 1,000 live births.
According to her: “Nigeria contributes about 10 per cent of the global burden of maternal mortality yet she is about 2 per cent of the world’s population.”

According to Campbell: “Our association has put in place laudable structures at the different state branches to combat and effect a change. So, the new administrator will neither put on any new structures nor reinvent the wheel, rather, we will all put hands together at our different state branches to strengthen the structures already in place.”

She identified Women’s Right to Information (WORTHI) campaign as an invaluable tool the association has at its disposal, adding, “The way we need to make this happen is by exploring the use of e and m-health.”
She commended Nigeria’s First Lady, Her Excellency Dame Patience Jonathan, Mrs Abimbola Fashola, wife of Lagos State Governor, Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Mrs Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire and Senator Oluremi Tinubu for their passion for women’s and children’s health as well as sharing in the vision of the association readiness to collaborate with it in changing the plight of women and children.

Campbell reasoned that keying into the health related programmes and projects of the first ladies at the various MWAN state branches in a collaborative manner is a worthwhile venture to bring about the change in the health status of women and children.
She said that during the two year tenure of her administration, MWAN would mount training programmes in health policy, planning and management in the various zones of the association, pointing out that the possession of health management skills and techniques is a panacea for qualitative service delivery thereby improving the health status of the nation and the deplorable health indices.

Earlier on, the Grand Patron of MWAN Lagos State Branch, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has commended the association on the theme of the conference: ‘Maternal and Infant Mortality’ assuring its members that government would look into the need for purchase of pneumonia, malaria and other vaccines when the new supplementary budget is made public, adding that the committee on health has just been inaugurated, who will also take care of it.

In her message Orelope-Adefulire, represented by Mrs. Risikatu Akinyode cited statistics by World Health Organisation (WHO) on maternal and infant mortality in Africa and United States Agency for International Development (USAID), saying that Nigeria is now more aware of the threat of maternal and infant mortality.
She said that the data calls for all collaborative efforts by stakeholders in the health sector to ensure that Nigeria save the lives of women and young children, adding that the present Lagos State Government is poised to take the fight headlong to initiate projects, organise activities, workshops and other advocacy programmes to educate Nigerian people on steps to take to prevent hostile situation and ensure that the state reduce the rate of maternal and infant mortality misplace the lives of pregnant women.

According to Orelope-Adefulire: “As a way to show Lagos State is truly concerned about the plight of the pregnant mothers, it administers free healthcare for pregnant mothers virtually everyday regardless of their social status.
“Children aged 1 to 5 years also receive free treatments on Lagos State hospitals. It is therefore necessary to say that Lagos State Government is seriously concerned in fulfilling the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), number 4 and 5 which was predicated on decreasing mother-child mortality rate and improving maternal deaths.”

She disclosed that the state is currently partnering Non-Governmental Organisations through various workshops organised by the NGOs and investing in healthcare facilities and infrastructure towards this end. She pointed out that the state has also met with the community and civil society leaders as well as Organised Private Sector (OPS) for their involvement in the fight against maternal and infants mortality.
“In a bid to curb the current number of deaths through child-birth-related causes, we have equally joined forces with other multi-national non-governmental organisations such as World Health Organisation (WHO), United Nations (UN) as well as local organisations.
“We will continue to appeal to all stakeholders to play more prominent roles through their public awareness programmes informing the public, particularly pregnant women about life-threatening conditions that they are exposed to during pregnancy and time of delivery. It should not only be in Lagos State but also other states of the federation,” Orelope-Adefulire advised.

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