Founder-President, Wellbeing Foundation Africa, WBFA, Mrs. Toyin Saraki, has said in addition to promoting health-seeking behavior in women and girls, education also leads to more qualified health care professionals.

Saraki who spoke during the  “Partnering Beyond the Health Sector: What is needed to ensure maternal-newborn survival?” forum, facilitated by Johnson and Johnson, called for an increased focus on education as a key social determinant of health.

“Whilst formal education is extremely important to the survival of mothers and their children, access to valuable health information that can save their lives is also a very serious social determinant of health. The passage of this information can be through healthcare workers like midwives, or through effective health communications in the community. After all, an empowered and informed woman is a health-seeking woman who can act as an advocate for her child and ensure her newborn receives appropriate live-saving care,” she stated.

During the forum, Saraki noted: “I cannot stress the importance of midwives helping mothers and their newborn infants during the fragile first 24 hours after birth. Midwives are on the frontlines of reducing maternal and infant mortality rates. Skilled midwives keep expectant mothers informed throughout their pregnancy and labour; empower women to make healthy choices for their family; and provide medical assistance for newborns in the first few days of their life.

“As the Global Goodwill Ambassador for the International Confederation of Midwives, I advocate for the increased coverage of midwives across the world because a 25 percent increase in midwives could reduce maternal mortality by 50 percent. Imagine the impact that this would have on the life and future chances of every newborn child.”

The WBFA is a leading frontline African Maternal Newborn and Child Health,  MNCH, and empowerment organisation, dedicated to transforming the lives of women and children through advocacy and action and through the promotion of human rights, education and inclusive access to economic opportunities.

Saraki is a Nigerian philanthropist with two decades of advocacy covering maternal, newborn and child health; ending gender-based discrimination and violence; and improving education, socio-economic empowerment, and community livelihoods in Africa.