Stakeholders in the health sector have met in Ilorin, Kwara state capital on the dissemination of findings from the Comprehensive Emergency Obstetric and Neonatal Care (CEmONC) assessment that was recently conducted across public health facilities in Kwara state.
The CEmONC assessment, aimed at reducing maternal, mortality and newborn survival in Kwara state, was organized by the Federal Ministry of Health through ‘Sector Wide Approach’ (SWAP) with support from the Jhpiego, to assess service gaps in secondary health facilities in the state.
Speaking at the event, the SWAP national coordinator, Dr. Muntaqua Sadiq Umar, said that the project was to assess equipment availability, functionality and skill competency among frontline health workers.
Dr. Umar, who spoke through Mr. Salami Yusuf Olalekan, also said that the refurbishment and empanelment of Secondary Health Facilities (SFH) is also an integral component of reducing maternal mortality in Nigeria.
“The initiative was aimed to improve manpower and infrastructure in at least one secondary health facility within all the local government areas across the nation”, he said.
He also said that the meeting was aimed to update participants with the current position and situation of the initiative with a view to reducing maternal mortality rate across the country.
Umar, who commended the state ministry of Health for effective coordination of the CEmONC activities, called for thorough study before dissemination of the report for effective service delivery.
In her keynote address, the state commissioner for Health, Dr. Aminat El-Imam, reaffirmed the commitment of the state government towards reduction of maternal mortality to the barest minimum.
The commissioner, who spoke through the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Dr. Taoheed Abdullahi Ayodeji, said the goal of the project was to use the evidence to inform sound decision-making that will improve maternal and newborn health outcomes across the state.
She stated that the findings will highlight both the strengths and critical gaps in CEmONC services, noting that progress has been made.
“It only remain priority areas that require immediate intervention to reduce maternal and neonatal mortality.
“This meeting provides an opportunity for all of us to engage in constructive dialogue, generate actionable strategies, and commit to mobilizing resources and policy reforms that will sustain and enhance CEmONC service delivery and accessibility”, she said.
She also commended Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq for his commitment to upscaling healthcare delivery, as demonstrated by several infrastructural upgrade across the state.
Earlier in his opening remarks, the state SWAP desk officer, Dr. Ola Ahmed, emphasized importance of evidence-based data in driving sustainable policy reforms and strengthening emergency obstetric and newborn care.
He acknowledged the collaborative effort of development partners and stakeholders in supporting the state’s assessment, noting that one facility was assessed per local government area in Kwara state, “covering both infrastructure and the competencies of healthcare workers”.
The findings, he explained, will help ensure that healthcare providers are adequately skilled and equipped to offer quality care to pregnant women and newborns in emergency situations.
Also in her opening remarks, the CEmONC state Vocal Person, Dr. Kafayat Kofo Ibrahim, explained that the exercise aimed to evaluate readiness and identify critical gaps in the delivery of maternal and newborn care services.
Noting that the assessment covered infrastructure, equipment, human resources, referral systems, and healthcare worker competencies, for them to be able to care for pregnant women as well as emergency referral.
The meeting, which was organized by the Kwara State Ministry of Health, attracted high-level participation from the Ministry of Health, the Permanent Secretary, health facility managers, development partners, and technical experts.
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