The Ogun State government has expressed its determination to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as an all-encompassing package of developmental activities, towards preventing maternal and child deaths.
Commissioner for Health, Dr. Tomi Coker stated this during the launch and dissemination of 2018 and 2019 maternal and perinatal deaths surveillance and response reports in collaboration with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in Abeokuta, saying its implementation would contribute to the reduction of maternal mortality and morbidity ratio.
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According to Dr. Coker, the present administration would continue to strengthen the health system through the sustenance of systematic public health education to aid awareness among citizens, especially women of childbearing age who were the focus of the report.
She highlighted some of the various interventions for addressing challenges that cause an increase in maternal and child deaths, such as delay in seeking and accessing health care as well as receiving quality care.
The commissioner pointed out that the state government had invested in free service training and retraining of midwives and provision of family planning services, among others, adding that it had also inaugurated the alternate medicine board to ensure the full compliance of rules guiding the conduct of traditional birth attendants.
Executive Secretary, State Primary Health Care Development Board, Dr. Elijah Ogunsola said the document focused on the major causes of maternal, peri-natal and neo-natal deaths in the state as well as recommendations to address the challenges.
He called on the relevant stakeholders in the state to use the report as a working manual in their various facilities.
Chairman, state MPDSR Steering Committee, Dr. David Awonuga, added that the event provided an opportunity for heads of health institutions and concerned vital players to know the quality of maternal and perinatal care being rendered in the state
