BY CHIOMA OBINNA

The need for Federal government to engage in aggressive investment in child and maternal health towards reducing mortality rates within these groups in the country, was at the front burner of the 6th Olikoye Ransome-Kuti Memorial Lecture, last week in Lagos.

A medical practitioner, Prof. Jackson Omene, who was the Guest Lecturer at the event, described the act of investing in children and women’s health as a moral and political imperative the nation’s leaders can bequeath for socioeconomic development of the country.

Decrying the non-effectiveness of Nigeria’s health policy, Omemen said the daily loss of a substantial number of women and children due to complications of pregnancy and childbirth and inadequate postnatal care for newborn infants. was noi longer tolerable.

He said a responsible government ought to be concerned that 83 percent of the nation’s poorest children are not getting healthcare despite existence of effective interventions.

He said India and Nigeria alone would prevent nearly 20 per cent of global child mortality if both countries could marshal political courage to commit national resources to strengthen the health care system.

According to him, there is consensus that only very minimal progress has been made in Nigeria regarding newborn and child mortality and one of the reasons for the high level of child deaths in Nigeria is inadequate postnatal care provided to newborn infants.

Omene stressed the need for provision of effective antenatal care to pregnant women; addressing poor maternal health and under-nutrition; prompt maternal treatment of maternal infections and immunisation against tetanus.

He emphasised that the provision of essential obstetric care of high risk pregnant women is paramount if neonatal deaths are to be reduced.

“At Federal level and governance at State and LGA’s, a framework of activities should be developed with the cooperation and support of key leaders to reduce mortality associated with Child Birth.

Strengthen the health care capacity through staff development. Develop Surveillance of key birth outcomes to establish a sound data base for identifying the priority problems to be addressed.