From Ebohon Joan
The Edo State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Cyril Oshiomhole, has called for stronger collaboration between the government, development partners and private healthcare providers to tackle maternal and newborn deaths, saying no woman should die while giving birth.
Oshiomhole made the call during the celebration of Med-Vical International’s seventh anniversary of community service and the launch of its Med-Vical School Health (MSH) Programme and Maternal, Small and Sick Newborn Infant Initiative (MaSSNII).
He said the administration of Governor Monday Okpebholo has prioritised maternal and child healthcare by strengthening primary healthcare centres, renovating health facilities and expanding access to quality healthcare services across Edo State.
According to him, the health of mothers and children remains the bedrock of a healthy and prosperous society, stressing that investing in safe motherhood is an investment in the future of the state’s children.
While acknowledging progress in the health sector, Oshiomhole said more work must be done to address the challenges, noting that every maternal death is a tragedy that must be prevented.
He recalled the death of a woman who passed away after what appeared to be a successful Caesarean section at the Central Hospital, Benin City, about five years ago. He said the incident highlighted the need for continuous improvements in healthcare delivery, especially in assessing pregnant women for risks such as infections and multiple pregnancies before delivery.
The commissioner stressed that every woman who comes to the hospital to give birth deserves to return home safely, adding that government alone cannot achieve this without the support of relevant stakeholders.
Earlier, Chairman of Med-Vical International, Prof. Ehijie Enato, described Nigeria’s maternal and newborn health statistics as worrisome. He noted that the country has the highest number of newborn deaths in Africa and the second highest in the world.
Enato said the organisation would continue to support government efforts through quality healthcare services, training for frontline health workers and community-based programmes aimed at reducing maternal, newborn and child deaths.
In his keynote lecture titled “Preserving Our Future: Innovation Strategies for Accelerating Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Outcomes in Nigeria,”
Prof. George Akpede, a Professor of Paediatric Neurology and Infectious Diseases, said Nigeria’s major challenge is not the lack of innovative healthcare solutions but the poor implementation of existing ones.
According to him, many proven interventions capable of saving the lives of mothers and babies already exist, but they have not been consistently applied. He urged stakeholders to focus on properly implementing available healthcare strategies rather than searching for new solutions.
Also speaking, the Chairman of the occasion and Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Jerry Eiyegbenin, who was represented by his son, Eiyegbenin Jerry Jr., appealed to governments, development partners and private organisations to support Med-Vical International’s programmes.
The event also featured the official launch of the Med-Vical School Health (MSH) Programme and the Maternal, Small and Sick Newborn Infants Initiative (MaSSNII), both designed to improve maternal, newborn and child health outcomes across Nigeria.
