The Kwara State Ministry of Health, in partnership with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), has intensified efforts to improve maternal and child health through a community outreach programme focused on safe motherhood and antenatal care.
The awareness campaign, organised to mark the International Day of the Midwife, encouraged pregnant women to register early for antenatal care services and maintain regular clinic visits throughout pregnancy.
Addressing participants during the programme, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health, Dr. Taoheed Abdullahi, underscored the importance of receiving professional healthcare throughout pregnancy and childbirth.
Dr Abdullahi, stressed that deliveries should be conducted in healthcare facilities under the supervision of trained birth attendants to enhance the safety of mothers and newborns.
He noted that timely identification and treatment of pregnancy-related complications remain essential to reducing maternal and infant deaths.
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As part of the initiative, delivery kits were distributed to expectant mothers to support birth preparedness and encourage continued use of antenatal services as well as facility-based delivery.
In her goodwill message, the UNFPA Focal Person, Dr. Gloria Enueze, highlighted the vital contribution of midwives to maternal and newborn healthcare, describing them as central to ensuring safe pregnancies, successful deliveries, and quality postnatal care.
Dr Enueze also emphasized the benefits of family planning, noting that proper spacing of pregnancies contributes significantly to the health and wellbeing of both mothers and children.
Earlier, the Head of Department of Health in Ilorin East Local Government Area, Hajia Sulyman Ajibola, welcomed participants and urged pregnant women to make effective use of the delivery kits provided during the programme.
She further advised expectant mothers to protect themselves from malaria by consistently sleeping under insecticide-treated mosquito nets.
The sensitisation exercise formed part of activities commemorating the International Day of the Midwife and reflected ongoing efforts by the state government and its development partners to strengthen maternal healthcare services and improve health outcomes for women and children across Kwara State.
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