In a bold move to tackle maternal and neonatal mortality, the Ondo State Government in collaboration with the Federal Government (FG) has launched a five-day co-creation workshop aimed at reducing maternal and newborn deaths by 30% by the year 2027.
The workshop, themed “Maternal and Newborn Mortality Reduction Innovation and Initiative (MAMMI),” brought together stakeholders in the health sector to develop a strategic template for the effective execution of interventions targeted at reducing mortality rates.
The initiative focuses on uncovering local barriers to maternal and neonatal survival through deep-dive community visits across priority Local Government Areas (LGAs).
Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, represented by his Special Adviser on Health, Prof. Michael Odimayo, reaffirmed the state’s commitment to health sector reforms.
He noted that ongoing efforts such as the upgrading of 102 Primary Healthcare Centres (PHC) are part of a broader strategy to improve access and quality of healthcare services across the state.
“We recognize that improving health outcomes requires deliberate and sustained investment, not only in infrastructure but also in the welfare and well-being of our health workforce and wider population,” the governor said.
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Governor Aiyedatiwa commended the Federal Government for initiating MAMMI and emphasized that Ondo State’s active participation reflects its dedication to safeguarding the lives of women and children in every community.
Also speaking, Dr. Amina Muhammed, Director of the Child Health Division at the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, highlighted the urgency of the initiative.
She revealed that Nigeria ranks third globally in the number of preterm births, with an estimated 773,600 cases annually and over 274,000 related deaths recorded in 2022.
Dr. Muhammed stated that preterm birth complications are responsible for one in three under-five deaths in Nigeria, also noted that the MAMMI programme is a strategic response to these alarming statistics.
She noted that 33 states and 171 LGAs have been identified as high-burden areas for maternal and newborn mortality in Nigeria, adding that the workshop marks the beginning of MAMMI’s implementation in Ondo State.
Permanent Secretary of the Ondo State Ministry of Health, Dr. Adeniran Ikuomola, recalled the state’s previous successes with the Abiye and Agbebiye programmes, which earned international recognition.
Ikuomola disclosed that the MAMMI intervention would initially be implemented in five LGAs: Ese-Odo, Akure South, Ifedore, Ondo West, and Owo.
Meanwhile, the Adapogun of Ipogun, Oba Raphael Oluwadare Ojo, appealed to the Federal Government to expand the programme to cover all LGAs in Ondo State, to ensure the total elimination of maternal and neonatal mortality across the state.
