Lagos moves to check maternal, child mortality rate

[Mirror]

•Partners faith-based organisations The Lagos State Government has promised to partner with faith-based organisations as part of the efforts to reduce maternal and child mortality rate.

The said the decision would contribute to efforts aimed at checking irregularities and unsafe practices by some of the organisations, which handle health-related cases in their clinics.

The state Commissioner for Health, Dr Jide Idris, spoke yesterday while addressing journalists on the town hall meeting on maternal and child mortality reduction scheduled to hold at Amuwo-Odofin Local Government Area today.

Idris said the partnership would enable the government capture faith based organisations' data and monitor their activities on maternal health, adding that government would also sensitise them on safe health practices and maternal and child mortality reduction measures.

The commissioner said: "We are working with them and we have to intensify that relationship to enable us capture as much as possible people since our overall objectives is to reduce the maternal mortality rate. There is no doubt that some people patronise clinics of faith based organisations for their maternity health care."

Idris, however, said the town hall meeting would afford the government the opportunity to get feedback on its efforts to provide good governance to the people, adding that other areas that require attention would also be made known at the meeting.

Stressing the need to voluntarily donate blood, he reiterated that blood is essential commodities that is manufactured by the government, saying there is need for residents to collaborate with the state to ensure blood are always available to cater for the needy during emergency.

The commissioner said: "There is no factory that manufactures blood. Blood is not something you can go and pick like drugs. Somebody has to donate it. So, what we are saying is that people who donate blood are very few in this country, but the demand is more than what is being donated."

National Mirror

[Folami David]

The child mortality rate in this country is very terrible. Kids somewhat die on a daily basis here and it's very sad.