FG, experts urge action on maternal, child deaths

The Ministry of Health and experts yesterday in Abuja urged collective action to address the high maternal, neonatal and child health challenges in the country.  

They spoke at a health summit organised by the African Centre of Excellence for Population Health and Policy (ACEPHAP), Bayero University Kano (BUK)  and the  Centre for Infectious Diseases Research (CIDR) in collaboration with Rand Corporation USA, with support from Marks Family Foundation.

The Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire, represented by Stella Nwosu, Director, Child Health, Family Health Department, said all hands must be on deck towards improving, Nigeria’s maternal newborn and child health indices as government could not do it alone.

Hadiza Galadanci, a professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the College of Health Sciences, BUK, said Nigeria had the highest number of maternal deaths accounting for over one-quarter (28.5%) of all estimated global maternal deaths in 2020.

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Prof. Isa Sadeeq Abubakar, Director, CIDR, BUK said the need to proffer solutions to the insecurity and humanitarian crisis facing women and children in Nigeria, especially in the North East and North West, inspired the summit.