Kwara state Government, in collaboration with the federal Government, has trained 94 healthcare workers as part of efforts to reduce maternal and neonatal mortality in the state.
The training was conducted under the Federal Government’s Maternal and Neonatal Mortality Reduction Innovation and Initiative (MAMII), aimed at strengthening the capacity of frontline health workers to improve maternal and child health outcomes.
Dr Amina El-Imam, the Kwara Commissioner for Health, stated that the MAMII project in Nigeria aims to reduce the high rates of maternal and neonatal mortality by strengthening primary healthcare services and community engagement.
“This initiative focuses on 172 high-mortality local government areas (LGAs) across 33 states, which account for a disproportionate 55 per cent of maternal deaths in the country.
“Nigeria must leave its place as the maternal mortality capital of the world. Women must not die as a result of childbirth,” she said.
El-Imam stated that two local government areas of Kwara are recording a high incidence of maternal mortality; Moro and Ilorin East.
She added that the MAMII initiative is expected to improve the health interventions and reduce cases of deaths during childbirth.
According to her, the Kwara Government has invested hugely in the healthcare sector including renovation of 70 primary healthcare facilities.
El-Imam disclosed that Kwara was the only state which had reviewed salaries twice for its healthcare workers due to the consistent commitment of Gov. AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq.
She therefore appealed to pregnant women to utilise the healthcare facilities for child delivery, adding that five designated hospitals will offer free Caesarian Section (CS) to pregnant women for free.
She listed these hospitals to include Kwara State University Teaching Hospital (KWASUTH), General Hospital Offa, Ayisha Buhari Mother and Child Hospital, Eiyenkonrin, University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH) and General Hospital Kiama.
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Earlier in his opening address, Dr Dayo Adeyanju, the National Coordinator of MAMII, said the initiative employs a Sector Wide Approach (SWAp) to reduce maternal mortality in Nigeria.
He explained that the project focuses on the 172 LGAs with the highest maternal and neonatal mortality rates, recognising that these areas bear the brunt of the problem.
“MAMII aims to improve the quality and accessibility of primary healthcare services, which are crucial for maternal and newborn care,” he said.
According to him, the project emphasises community participation and ownership, while recognising that local knowledge and involvement are essential for successful interventions.
Adeyanju stated that MAMII adopts a SWAp framework, which involves a unified plan, budget, reporting system, and communication strategy across different stakeholders.
“The initiative considers delays that contribute to maternal deaths; delay in seeking care, delay in reaching a health facility, and delay in receiving adequate care at the facility,” he said.