By Hassan Zaggi
The Special Adviser to the President on Health, Dr Salma Ibrahim Anas, has called on the Sokoto State Governor, Alhaji Ahmed Aliyu, to demonstrate what she described as high -level political commitment in order to accelerate the reduction of Maternal and Newborn deaths in the state.
Sokoto is one of the few states selected to focus on Accelerating Reduction of Maternal Newborn deaths project.
She made the call at a media briefing on the Acceleration of Reduction of Maternal and Newborn deaths in Abuja, yesterday.
Dr. Salma further called on the Sokoto state government to implement what she christened as home grown solutions for sustainable and improved maternal and newborn health outcomes and urged the governor to lead as the Chief Advocate and Champion for the reduction of maternal and newborn deaths in the state.
The Adviser to the President also charged the Sokoto Governor to explore actions of key drivers and social determinants of plus root causes associated with high maternal and new born deaths in the state.
While explaining the reason for focusing on maternal and child death reduction, Dr. Salma, noted that the revelations of the National Demographic Health Survey (2018) and the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (2021) results shows that Nigeria’s situation as worrisome.
Among other reasons for the focus on maternal and child death reduction, the Special Adviser said include high burden of maternal and new born deaths and that “majority of the deaths associated with pregnancy, childbirth and post-delivery as well as deaths related to the newborns are preventable (almost by 90%) using simple health interventions.”
Other reasons she stressed, include “quick wins to attain Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and strengthen Health System Strengthening (HSS); improves physical and mental well-being and productivity of individuals, families; socio-economic development and communities and political score that are palpable and demonstrable within the shortest period.”
Dr. Salma reiterated that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu remained committed to improving access to health care delivery in Nigeria through the realization of UHC.
The Presidential initiative on Acceleration of Reduction of Maternal Deaths, according to her, “is critical and integral towards attainment of our UHC aspirations of the Renewed Hope Agenda.”
