Uduaghan Challenges Doctors On Maternal Healthcare Delta State Governor, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan has challenged Gynaecologists and Obstetricians to strive towards improving the health conditions of pregnant women and their new born babies in the country. Dr Uduaghan gave the charge while declaring open the 48th Annual General Meeting (AGM) and scientific conference of the Society of Gynaecology and Obstetrics of Nigeria (SOGON) in Asaba. The conference which was well attended had as its theme, Human Resources Development in Improving Maternal and Child Health in Nigeria: Looking Beyond MDGs. Governor Uduaghan charged the medical experts to assist in the national efforts to improve maternal and child healthcare across the country, stating, I wish to encourage you not to relent in your efforts towards our concerted quest for great ideals in the healthcare of our women and new-born. The Governor disclosed that his administration introduced free maternal health care programme in November 2007 to reduce maternal mortality rate and scored his administration high in the feat it has so far Prior to the introduction of the programme, maternal mortality rate stood at an alarming 456 per 100, 000 live births – which was unacceptable to us, however, today even with more women availing themselves of the opportunities of the programme, the maternal mortality rate has reduced to 188 per 100, 000 live births in 2013 and we are still working hard to reduce these figures, he said. Dr. Uduaghan stated that from the inception of his administration, it embarked on critical programmes in the health sector, implementing the free maternal and under five healthcare programme with the aim of effecting a sustainable reduction in maternal and newborn deaths in the state, the horizon of this extends to tackling gynaecological malignancies in our rural communities. This has been effected through community education and mobilization, rural healthcare programme, capacity building for health workers, activation of the referral system, institution of screening exercises and sustained advocacy to our people at all levels. According to him, the State Government has also introduced the Maternal Death Review State Steering Committee (MDRSSC) for the sixty two hospitals in the state including the Delta State Teaching Hospital (DELSUTH), Oghara, describing the measure as a further testimony of our commitment to safe motherhood. While commending SOGON for choosing Asaba to host the meeting, Governor Uduaghan observed that the choice of Delta State for conferences and conventions by organizations and international agencies was a great encouragement to his administration as it shows that the peace and security, infrastructure development and human capital development programmes of his administration were yielding positive results. Governor Uduaghan had during a cocktail party for members of the society commended members for having a smooth succession plan which ensured that there was no bickering as a result of electoral issues among members. The President of SOGON, Dr. Fred Achem in a welcome address, appealed to President Goodluck Jonathan to sign the National Healthcare Bill into law and also urged state governments to adopt the maternal death review programme as provided by the United Nations.
Posted on: Mon, 24 Nov 2014 08:28:58 +0000
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