Ogun government partners UNFPA to reduce maternal, perinatal deaths

Driven by mission to reduce alarming rate of maternal and perinatal deaths as well as other complications attached to pregnancy and child bearing, the Ogun state government has established partnership with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) on routine training of health workers and in-depth investigation on previous occurrences in the state.

According to, Nofiu Aigoro, Permanent Secretary, Ogun State Ministry of Health, government in conjunctiom with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) are in serious moves to checkmate causes and results of maternal and perinatal deaths arising from complications arising especially during pregnancy and child bearing.

Speaking at the Annual Dissemination Meeting on Status of Maternal and Perinatal Death Surveillance and Response Implementation organised in Abeokuta by the Ogun State Primary Health Care Development Board (OGPHECADEB) in collaboration with (UNFPA), Nofiu Aigoro, a physician, noted that efforts were underway to nip the challenges in the bud.

Aigoro said that the government was determined to ensure provision of efficient health care service in the state with the assistance of local and foreign organisations such as UNFPA, but emphasised the need for co-ordination and harmonisation of various health programmes implemented in the state, among development partners in order to achieve a common goal.

Speaking earlier, Titi Duro-Aina, a physician and  representative of the UNFPA, revealed that about 111 women die daily in the country which means five women die every hour due to preventable pregnancy and child-related complications, saying it was high Nigerian states rose against the alarming rate of maternal and perinatal deaths as well as complications.

She therefore pledged that her agency would collaborate with the State government to carry out in-depth investigation into the causes and circumstances surrounding maternal and perinatal death, adding that information obtained from each maternal and perinatal death cases would help to reduce and prevent maternal mortality in the state.

RAZAQ AYINLA