Dame Abimbola Fashola Leads Lagos in the Movement to Reduce Maternal-Child Mortality

The wife of the Lagos State governor, Dame Abimbola Fashola, on Tuesday had a town hall meeting with stakeholders from Lagos Central Senatorial district on maternal and child mortality reduction at Surulere Local Government.

While giving her keynote address, Mrs Fashola noted that such meeting is key to achieving the goal of bringing the level of child and maternal mortality in the state down to the barest minimal.

She explained that there is a need for everyone to be enlightened on the various efforts made by the state government to make the process of procreation safe, adding that the government is still working hard to make sure that both mother and child are safe during and after delivery.

Explaining the importance of the meeting, the Lagos First Lady said the meeting affords all to be aware of their roles, stating that the government plays a big role by providing necessary health facilities and other infrastructures, while the populace have roles to play which include, making use of these facilities and stop patronising unqualified health personnel for their family healthcare needs.

She, however, advised that all should develop and maintain the habit of visiting the public health facilities, noting that it belongs to the populace whose taxes are used to develop the facilities .

The Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Dr Jide Idris, also explained that although the government has made provision to reduce maternal and child mortality in the state, people are yet to know the importance and usage of the healthcare facilities that are being put in place.

He added that this informed the need for awareness, which the state government has embarked on by distributing booklets and pamphlets, and also created avenue to continuously give out information as to the dangers of childbirth,  which according to him, a lot are still ignorant of.

The Senator representing Lagos Central in the National Assembly, Mrs Oluremi Tinubu, however enjoined everybody to be involved in the Maternal and Child Mortality Reduction (MCMR) programme,  adding that it can not be successful without people's participation and involvement.

Senator Tinubu, represented by former deputy speaker Lagos State House of Assembly Honorable Adetoun Adediran, also explained that the programme is aimed at improving the statistics which indicates that Nigeria is greatly challenged in maternal and child mortality.