Son of the President Seyi Tinubu has described the country’s infant and maternal mortality rates as unacceptable, urging immediate action from the government and private sector.
He stressed that Nigeria, ranked fourth globally for the highest rates of infant and maternal mortality, must see its ranking improve.
Tinubu expressed concerns over the alarming statistics, noting that in 2023, Nigeria recorded an infant mortality rate of 54.74 deaths per 1,000 live births, while the maternal mortality rate in 2020 stood at 1,047 deaths per 100,000 live births.
On Thursday, he launched an intervention programme, the Infant and Maternal Healthcare Intervention-Drug Banks for Indigent Patients and Obstetrics & Gynecology and Pediatric Pharmacy at the Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital (ABUTH).
He also announced the launch of a scholarship scheme for final-year pediatric residency doctors, offering a grant of N1m to assist them with registration and preparation for their final fellowship exams.
Speaking during the commissioning of the drug banks, Tinubu described the infant and maternal mortality incidences in the country as unacceptable and must be urgently addressed by the government and well-meaning individuals and corporate Nigerians.
He said it wass high time Nigeria’s ranking as the fourth with the highest burden on the map of countries with high rates of infant and maternal mortality dropped.
According to him, the project is in support of Nigeria’s quest to reduce infant and maternal mortality incidences in Nigeria, adding that the comprehensive scheme will also involve medical equipment and research, with a target of 600,000 indigent patients monthly across 60 tertiary health institutions in the country
Tinubu, who was represented by Pharm. Ojeje Amin Onimisi, said: “Our intervention is driven from the passion for children. From the health needs of children, we have funded several hospitals. We have had to culture skull for the treatment of a child with congenital abnormalities.
“Now we are doing it on a larger scale to ensure that many Nigerians benefit. This intervention is for the vulnerable. If a child is born into a situation of being needy due to no fault of theirs should be supported.
This project is going to be expanded in the areas of medical equipment, and research that revolves around infant and maternal health care and it would be 10,000 beneficiaries across 60 tertiary health institutions across Nigeria per month.
“That means we are speaking of giving this aide to 600,000 indigent patients on a monthly basis”.
He urged the management of the hospital to ensure the effective and efficient use of the intervention for indigent patients who are most vulnerable.
The National Coordinator, Drug Banks for Indigent Patients in Obstetrics & Gynecology
and Pediatric Pharmacy Intervention for Infant and Maternal Healthcare, Benson Ayodele Cole noted that tertiary hospitals were chosen because of the enormous burden of indigent patients they receive yearly and also because they currently have better-organized systems and infrastructure to administer the scheme.
As the National Coordinator of this project, I am delighted to let you know that after this first phase, the program will be cascaded down to the Secondary and Primary Care levels in General Hospitals and Primary Healthcare Centres.
“The event we are witnessing today is the official flag off of a philanthropy initiative of Mr Seyi Tinubu whose love for children has compelled him to set this Maternal and Child Health Intervention Scheme to administer free medicines and delivery materials to 60 tertiary hospitals across Nigeria.
“Because of the outstanding work being done by the ABU Teaching Hospital, Seyi Tinubu has
chosen here for the official commissioning of this nationwide project.
“You may already know the staggering unfortunate statistics of infant mortality in Nigeria which as of last year stood at 54.740 deaths per 1000 live births, while Nigeria’s maternal mortality rate for 2020 was 1,047.
“Indeed our maternal mortality is about the 4th highest in the world, and according to the World Health Organization, nearly 20% of all global maternal deaths happen in Nigeria.
“As the National Coordinator of this project, I am delighted to let you know that after this first phase, the program will be cascaded down to the Secondary and Primary Care levels in General Hospitals and Primary Healthcare Centres,” he said.
Tinubu through the intervention commissioned a solar-powered industrial borehole at Banzazzau, Zaria city to cater for the perennial water shortage to forestall the devastating consequences of cholera outbreak and other water-related infectious diseases in such communities.
He also launched a scholarship scheme for resident doctors who are in the final year of their pediatrics residency program with a grant of N1,000,000 to support them in registration and preparation for their final fellowship examination.
Aisha Suleiman became the first grant for her outstanding performance.
Aisha Ololade, National Coordinator for the intervention on education affirmed that portable water goes a long way in maintaining effective Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) in the process of curbing an outbreak of diseases that can result in infant and maternal death.
She said potable water and drug intervention are twins of a kind, as they go hand in hand in ensuring the safety of children and mothers as they reduce the rise in infant and maternal health issues.
