Infant Mortality: Lagos To Save 6m Children By 2015 —Adefulire

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The Lagos State Government says it intends to save the lives of over six million children and 200,000 mothers in the state by 2015 through its new Integrated Maternal Newborn and Child Health Strategy, MNCH, currently being implemented in all health institutions in the state.

Deputy Governor of the State, Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire said this at the grand finale of the Second Round of the 2012 MNCH celebrations, held at the Adeyemi Bero Auditorium, Alausa, Ikeja in Lagos, southwest Nigeria.

The deputy governor said the strategy was designed to help in the implementation of various interventions developed by the state government to improve the health of mothers and children, with special focus  on newborns.

She added that the intervention, included comprehensive revitalisation of the Primary Health Care system, development of the maternal mortality and child reduction programme as well as provision of eight maternal and child centres across the state and increased focus on neo-natal services under a public-private partnership to help the government achieve a considerable reduction in maternal and infant mortality.

“In pursuant to the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals 4 and 5, which placed particular emphasis on the lives of mother and child, the government during the course of the Maternal, Newborn and Child Week, introduced new packages to ensure that pregnant mothers, nursing mothers and their children enjoy extra medical care through provision of routine immunisation, Vitamin A Supplement, growth monitoring and promotion, as well as de-worming of under-five children,” she stated.

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Special Adviser to the Governor on Public Health, Dr Yewande Adeshina said the celebration of the Maternal, Newborn and Child Week was to appreciate mothers and care-givers in the health sector.

“The present administration in the state will continue to provide the necessary infrastructure and personnel for improved health service delivery. Mothers and other care-givers should cooperate with the government by patronising health institutions and seeking medical attention at all times,” she stated.

The Maternal, Newborn and Child Week is held twice annually, with the first round held in May.

Highlight of the occasion was the presentation of awards to partnering local government areas and local council development areas, cash awards for multiple babies as well as the recognition and award to the best baby boy and girl of the round, who were crowned the Prince and Princess of the week.

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