The Rotary Action Group for Reproductive, Maternal, and Child Health (Rotary-RMCH) has launched a series of initiatives aimed at improving maternal and neonatal healthcare in Nigeria.
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This was made known during a 3Day Journalists workshop held in Abuja as part of the implementation of a three-year programme titled ‘Together for Healthy Families in Nigeria.’
The Programme Manager of Together for Healthy Families in Nigeria, Mr. Toyosi Adebambo, highlighted the initiative’s goal to reduce maternal and neonatal mortality by 25 percent.
Adebambo cited World Health Organization (WHO) statistics indicating that approximately 295,000 women worldwide die each year from pregnancy and childbirth complications, with the majority occurring in low- and middle-income countries.
He explained that around 5.2 million children under the age of five die annually, with Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia experiencing the highest rates. “Neonatal deaths alone account for 47 percent of these deaths,” he noted, emphasizing the critical need for targeted interventions in these regions.
Adebambo said, “Nigeria has one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the world, with an estimated 512 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births. This stark statistic underscores the urgency of the Rotary group’s initiatives to train healthcare workers and Journalists on respectful maternal and child care and to provide essential medical supplies”.
Reproductive Health Coordinator at the FCT Primary Healthcare Board, Mrs. Memuna Mikail, stressed the importance of investing in prenatal, antenatal, and postnatal care to reduce mortality rates.
She highlighted the necessity of comprehensive maternal healthcare services to improve outcomes for mothers and newborns.
Mrs. Mikail also advocated for family planning, stating that it is a crucial strategy for preventing poverty and improving overall health outcomes.
“In the survival of persons in this country, beyond saving lives, we also have to reduce poverty”. She said.
The Head of Health Promotion Division at the Federal Ministry of Health, Barr Nma Ogbonna, emphasized the need to sensitize and empower women regarding their health rights and responsibilities, saying that informed decision-making is essential for better health outcomes.
Barr Ogbonna stressed that bringing attention to health disparities and advocating for supportive policies can lead to significant improvements in maternal and child health. She called for community mobilization and participation in health programs and initiatives to ensure widespread impact.
The Director of the Safe Motherhood Division at the Family Health Department of the Federal Ministry of Health, Dr. Samuel Oyeniyi, encouraged stakeholders to maintain their continuous support for combating maternal and neonatal mortality. He praised the Rotary Action Group for Reproductive, Maternal, Health (Rotary-RMCH) for their significant contributions to this effort.
Dr. Oyeniyi highlighted Rotary’s role in reducing mortality rates and reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to supporting their initiatives. “Rotary has been very supportive in reducing mortality, and we are ready to support them”. He said.
The Rotary group’s initiatives aim to create sustainable improvements in maternal and neonatal health through training, resource provision, and community engagement. By addressing the root causes of high mortality rates, they hope to make a lasting impact on health outcomes in Nigeria.
As the program progresses, it will focus on training healthcare providers, increasing access to essential supplies, and empowering communities to take an active role in health promotion. These efforts are expected to significantly reduce the burden of maternal and neonatal mortality in the country.
The ‘Together for Healthy Families in Nigeria’ programme represents a collaborative effort to address one of Nigeria’s most pressing health challenges. Through partnerships and sustained commitment, the Rotary-RMNCH+N aims to create a healthier future for mothers and children across the nation.
The project seeks to reduce maternal and infant morbidity and mortality and in order to achieve this: The Programs of Scale plans on reducing the death of women and newborns by 25%, due to pregnancy-related complications in the target areas- FCT, Nasarawa, Gombe and Ekiti states (2 LGAs each and 1 LGA in the FCT), also, to reduce the death of women due to complications of too early, frequent or too late Pregnancies, and to ensure fewer women and new-born die due to poor structure, process and outcome of care at health facilities. This will be done by the strengthening of the use of the digital Maternal and Prenatal Child Death Surveillance and Response (MPCDSR) platform; which will inform stakeholders where and in what areas investment is most needed.
