THE Ondo State Government says it has trained 120 birth attendants in neonatal resuscitation and sensitive newborn care, in collaboration with the Saving One Million Lives (SOML) initiative.

The state Commissioner for Health, Dr Wahab Adegbenro, said this on Tuesday at the training centre in Igbara Oke.

He said that the training was part of efforts to drastically reduce the morbidity and mortality of neonates in the state.

He said that the training was considered imperative, as children often faced the highest risk of dying within the first month of life, adding this had accounted for about 18 deaths in every 1,000 live births.

Adegbenro said: “The global records show that in 2017 alone, about 2.5 million neonates died in the first one month; most of which happened within the first one week.

“The records revealed that one million of the neonate deaths occurred on the first day of birth.

“Some of the deaths can be prevented; hence the need for the training in neonatal resuscitation and intensive newborn care,’’ he said.

The commissioner, who noted that the figure was quite worrisome, said that the deaths even reduced to that level because of more effective, affordable treatment and innovative ways of child delivery.

Adegbenro also said that critical government intervention for the poor, sustained political commitment as well as adoption of vital child survival strategies had also facilitated a reduction in the figure.

He commended health workers in the state and the development partners for rising up to the challenge of stemming infant mortality.

He stressed that Ondo State was regarded as having the worst maternal and neonatal death index in the South West geopolitical zone of the country.

“In order to sustain and possibly improve on the reduction of maternal and child mortality in the state, the state government has concluded plans to make maternal and child healthcare free.

“The government will pay the premium for the mother and child in the State Contributory Health Scheme, which will be launched soon.

“We will also be designating additional five secondary health care facilities to render free mother and child health care,’’ he said.

Also speaking, Dr Abiola Oguneneka, the Programme Manager of SOML Initiative, said the programme was introduced in Ondo State to address the high incidence of maternal and child mortality in the state in the past.

“The performance of Ondo State was reviewed, in relation to the six strategic pillars of the programme, to look into areas which can be improved upon to enhance the performance of the state.

“The six areas in which the initiative has been assisting the state include the provision of insecticide-treated nets for under-5 children, skilled birth attendants and Penta 3 vaccination.

“Besides, we are providing Vitamin A coverage for children aged between six and 59 months, HIV counselling and testing during antenatal care as well as contraceptive prevalence,’’ Oguneneka said.

In her welcome address, Mrs Alice Ogundele, the Director of Nursing Services, Ondo State Ministry of Health, noted that nurses and midwives had played key roles in child survival strategies.

She said that the training was considered imperative for nurses and midwives because they were the main health workers in charge of childbirths in most health facilities.

Ogundele said that the training was also considered necessary because most neonatal deaths often occurred on the first day of birth.

She lauded the state government and SOML for organising the training.

-NAN

BE

– Dec. 11, 2018 @ 16:29 GMT |