The Kogi State government in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare and some development partners, has commenced a five-day Implementation Design Workshop under the Maternal and Neonatal Mortality Reduction Innovation Initiative (MAMII) to curb maternal and neonatal deaths.
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‎The workshop in Lokoja, the state capital brought together stakeholders from the health sector, partners and community representatives to design a clear implementation roadmap for reducing preventable maternal and newborn deaths in Kogi State.
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‎Declaring the event open, the commissioner of Health, Dr. Abdulaziz Adams reaffirmed the commitment of the state government to improve maternal and child health outcomes.
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‎The commissioner, represented by the permanent secretary in the ministry, Stephen Momoh, said the administration of Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo remains resolute in its drive to strengthen the health system, ensure safer deliveries and secure better survival rates for mothers and infants across communities in the state.
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‎In a goodwill message, the country lead of the MAMII Programme, Dr Dayo Adeyanju, who represented the coordinating minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Mohammed Ali Pate, said the initiative reflects the
‎ commitment of the federal government to address the high maternal and newborn mortality rates in Nigeria.
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‎Adeyanju said rather than relying on a top-down approach, the programme is people-centered and ensuring solutions emerge from community experiences and evidence.
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‎“Nigeria’s contribution to global maternal mortality is a concern we can no longer overlook. This administration, under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has chosen to confront the challenge directly through MAMII, which unites all tiers of government and stakeholders to create lasting change,” he said.
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‎Speaking on the choice of Lokoja for the pilot phase, Dr Bola Kelvin Jonah, the sector-wide approach (SWAP) officer for Kogi State, said the choice was based on data indicating a high maternal mortality rate in the area.
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‎He said the workshop would not be limited to discussions but would involve direct engagement with communities to understand cultural, economic and systemic barriers preventing women from accessing healthcare.