Akwa-Ibom State Governor, Umo Eno
By ANIEFIOK UDONQUAK, Uyo –
In a bold move to curb preventable maternal and newborn deaths, the Akwa Ibom State Government has pledged its full commitment towards the reduction of maternal and child health.
This is in line with the Maternal and Newborn Mortality Reduction Innovation Initiative (MAMII) a national health programme aimed at improving maternal and child health outcomes in the country.
The State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Ekem Emmanuel, stated this during the ongoing five-day workshop taking place at Four Points by Sheraton, Ikot Ekpene, organized by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare under the State-Wide Approach (SWAp), in collaboration with the Akwa Ibom State Ministry of Health with support from partners.
Dr. Emmanuel said the MAMII is designed to tackle the five delays which are key contributors to maternal and newborn deaths. All 31 Local Government Areas in Akwa Ibom State are expected to benefit from this life-saving intervention with 3 LGAs serving as pilot.
According to him, the MAMII initiative aligns with the ARISE Health Agenda of Governor Umo Eno, which focuses on strengthening healthcare delivery and drastically reducing maternal and infant mortality across the state.
Reiterating the state government’s resolve to institutionalize MAMII strategies in all healthcare facilities, Dr. Ekem John declared:
“We are determined to ensure that no mother or child dies from preventable causes. The MAMII framework will be integrated into our health system to improve service delivery and save lives.”
He also highlighted several ongoing health sector reforms supporting the implementation of MAMII, including the establishment of a fully operational emergency response system, the rollout of a state health insurance scheme to improve access to care, and the remodeling and equipping of primary healthcare centres across Akwa Ibom.
To further strengthen the healthcare workforce, the Commissioner announced that Governor Umo Eno has approved the recruitment of 1,000 health professionals, and will significantly focus on increasing the number of skilled birth attendants to boost maternal and child health outcomes in all communities.
Earlier, the National MAMII Coordinator, Dr. Dayo Adeyanju, noted that the initiative was borne out of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s vision of drastically reducing maternal and newborn mortality nationwide.
He revealed that Akwa Ibom State is among the contributors to the 55% maternal and newborn mortality burden concentrated in 172 high burden local government areas across the country.
Dr. Adeyanju also disclosed that pregnant women in Akwa Ibom will receive enhanced support under the initiative, including free Caesarean sections as mandated by the President’s directive. He assured participants of a free emergency transport system to convey pregnant women in distress to healthcare facilities for timely medical intervention.
In their separate goodwill messages, partners from UNICEF, the World Health Organization (WHO), Excellence Community Education Welfare Scheme (ECEWS), Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), and The Challenge Initiative (TCI), Heartland Alliance, Maria Stopes and Jiepaigo all commended the MAMII initiative, noting that its implementation will help address maternal and newborn mortality in the state. They also pledged their continued support for the success of the initiative.
The MAMII workshop drew participants from federal and state health ministries, local government representatives, healthcare providers, and stakeholders all of whom expressed optimism that the initiative will bring a new era of safer motherhood and healthier newborns in Akwa Ibom State.
