By Sola Ogundipe

THE University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital’s Institute of Child Health, in Ituku Ozalla, Enugu State, has acknowledged the wife of the erstwhile Kwara State Governor, Mrs. Toyin Saraki for her invaluable contribution to advancing the cause of maternal and child health in Nigeria.

Saraki who is President-Founder of the Wellbeing Foundation Africa, WFBA, was recognised alongside the wife of the Enugu State governor, Mrs Sullivan, Prince Arthur Eze, Senator Ken Nnamani, and Arc. Ifeanyi Echendu.

In a goodwill message, Saraki said: “As part of my longstanding commitment to child health and survival, the Wellbeing Foundation The WBFA is a leading frontline African Maternal Newborn and Child Health (MNCH) and empowerment organization, dedicated to transforming the lives of women and children through advocacy and action. WBFA achieves this goal by forming strategic partnerships and engaging local and international stakeholders while providing practical support interventions and tools such as the IMNCH Personal Health Record.

“The WFBA has advocated for the reduction of maternal and child mortality as well as the provision of essential commodities that will end preventable under-five deaths, which is especially important as the Millennium Development Goals deadline fast approaches.”

Having strongly supported the Institute through various initiatives during her former capacity as First Lady of Kwara State, Saraki expressed keenness to see increased improvement in the Enugu State public health system, and advancement in Nigeria’s maternal, newborn and child health, MNCH indices.

The Institute’s Biennial Guest Lecture themed “Vision 20:2020 – Challenges before the Health Sector,” was delivered by the

Former Minister of Health, Professor Onyebuchi Chukwu, who outlined steps being taken to address challenges of the sector to include implementation of an integrated maternal, newborn and child health, IMNCH, strategy, free family planning services at public health facilities, and the operation of the national Midwives Service Scheme, MSS —a joint initiative between the federal, state, and local government, to deploy midwives to under-served areas in the country.