Lagos restates commitment to mother, child health

The reduction of infant and maternal deaths to attain the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) Four and Five is still a priority, the Lagos State Government has said.

The Commissioner of Health, Dr Jide Idris, said improving maternal and child health indices is a major concern to the state.

Idris, who spoke to The Nation at the inauguration of the Maternal and Child Centre (MCC), Gbaja, Surulere, Lagos, said maternal and infant deaths are unacceptable, prompting the use of Integrated Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (IMNCH) approach. (The approach is to ensure that mother and child receive health care services in the same building.)

According to Idris, Ikorodu, Isolo, Ifako Ijaiye and Ajeromi Ifelodun have been equipped with facilities for the faithful implementation of the approach. He added that this will take off at Alimosho, Ibeju-Lekki, Ajeromi Ifelodun, Epe and Badagry as soon as their buildings are completed.

He noted that the government considered enhanced geographical access to integrated maternal and paediatric services a step in the right direction. Thus, the maternal and child centres would complement primary health clinics.

"The concept of integrating services rendition at the 110-bed centre into the existing general hospital structure was borne out of the desire to ensure that support services were made available to complement the overall provision of qualitative health care to mother and child," he added.

Idris said the MCC would help in the prevention of maternal and infant deaths, saying: "The structure is a 110-bed three-storey building equipped with two operating theatres and seven consulting rooms, among other facilities.

"It would also help in the prevention and cure of diseases, such as haemorrhage, infection, obstructed labour, sepsis, malaria and others. Mothers and children are still dying. Some children still die from communicable diseases."

The centres, he said, would educate mothers on routine immunisation, use of insecticide treated nets.

"The centres would impact positively on the lives of people resident in the area," he said.

The IMNCH Project Director, Deux Project Limited, Dr Walter Olatunde, said the design, construction and equipping of the centre was carried out by his organisation.

The centres, he said, are an integrated facility to ensure complete care for mother and child.

"The project was designed to meet the Millennium Develoment Goals (MDGs) Four and Five, which are to reduce infant and maternal deaths. The centres offer a full spectrum of care such as preventive, treatment and child education and support to the women. Things such as family planning, ante-natal care emergency services for the mother and child during and after pregnancy are there. It has two operating theatres to cater for expectant mothers during delivery," Olatunde said.

He said the Gbaja facility began operation last August, adding that it took a year to complete the building.

"The centre has been adequately equipped to provide optimal patient care commensurate with global best practices. The equipment available at the centre are ventilators, defibrillators, resuscitaires, baby incubators, phototherapy units, among others," Olatunde said.

http://www.thenationonlineng.net/2011/index.php/health/35906-lagos-restates-commitment-to-mother-child-health.html