Wife of the Governor of Lagos State; Mrs. Bolanle Ambode, has urged expectant mothers in the state, to avail themselves of the various health initiatives of the government to ensure safe delivery.
She gave the advice at Ikorodu during a town hall meeting on maternal and child mortality reduction, organized by the State Ministry of Health.
Mrs. Ambode stated that being a proactive government, Lagos State had introduced many interventions to reduce maternal and child mortality such as construction of maternal and child health centres, rehabilitation and equipping of primary health facilities and procurement of life-saving commodities among others.
According to her, “No woman deserves to die during pregnancy or childbirth, therefore Lagos State Government has made adequate provisions for complete well-being of mothers during pregnancy and after childbirth. These services are available at the maternal and child health centres as well as primary health care centres too and are free of charge”.
She observed that Ikorodu had been a major beneficiary of those interventions, citing the infrastructural development of their primary and secondary health facilities and the midwives service scheme to increase skilled birth attendants, among others.
Ambode appealed to stakeholders to promptly refer cases requiring life-saving interventions to the nearest appropriate health facility, stressing that it is a collective responsibility for community leaders in different capacities, to save mothers and the infants.
Speaking earlier, the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Jide Idris, urged pregnant women to attend ante-natal clinics, and deliver their babies at registered health facilities with skilled birth attendants.
He said such health facilities were registered with the State Government through HEFAMAA with their registration plaques displayed at the entrance of their facilities.
