By: Adeyinka Elujoba & Femi Osipitan,

‎          In its continued effort and commitment to enhancing healthcare access particularly for mothers and newborns, the Ogun State Government in collaboration with World Health Organisation (WHO), United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), Johns Hopkins Programme for International Education in Gynecology and Obstetrics (JHPIEGO) and other development partners has  emphasised its readiness to implement evidence-based policies that will prioritise the health and well-being of the people of the State.

‎          Commissioner for Health, Dr. Tomi Coker made this known while speaking during a One Day Comprehensive Emergency Obstetrics and Newborn Care (CEmONC) Assessment Dissemination Agenda at the Governor's Office, Oke-Mosan Abeokuta.

‎          Dr. Coker said the programme was commissioned by the coordinating Minister, Dr. Ali Pate for every State to give room for interventions in secondary facilities where it was needed especially in Obstetrics and Neo- Natal units under the Sector Wide Approach Programme(SWAP).

"Well trained selected Medical Record Officers have gone round all the 20 Local Government Areas and had assessed at least one general hospital to determine the State of their Obstetrics and NeoNatal care, looking into infrastructure, equipment and health workers status and the reports of this assessment would be the baseline we are building upon to ensure Ogun State is well positioned to deliver quality healthcare services to mothers and their babies, " she added.

In their contributions, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Dr. Kayode Oladehinde and his counterpart from the Hospitals Management Board, Dr. Olayinka Elemide noted that the CEmONC initiative would empower the secondary health facilities in the State to give adequate health care to mothers and their newborns and this would help reduce mortality rate to the barest minimum.

‎          In their separate goodwill messages, representatives of WHO, Dr. Akinolu Fatiregun and UNICEF, Pharmacist Florence Molokwu as well as from JHPIEGO, Dr. Elizabeth Chukwu remarked on the potential impact of the assessment findings which aims to identify gaps in existing health services and propose actionable solutions.

‎          Also speaking, the representatives of the development partner’s added that investing in quality maternal and neonatal health services does not only save lives but also contributes to the broader developmental goals of the society.

‎          Contributing, CEmONC focal person, Dr. Ismaila Afolabi while reeling out the findings on the assessment of the facilities mentioned that, some facilities lacked necessary equipments, some have but do not make use of them, saying few lapses were discovered from the part of some medical personnel which would be worked upon as a matter of urgency.

‎          The Ogun State SWAP Desk Officer, Dr. Olamide Agunbiade explained that the reason behind the SWAP project with CEmONC and Jhpiego who helped in funding the assessment, was to bring all key stakeholders in health sector including partners together to tackle issues bothering health sector in order to improve health indices.

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