Ondo moves to reduce child mortality
The Ondo State Government has kick-started a Save Our Children Initiative, called “Agbomola.” as part of efforts towards reducing child morbidity and mortality.
The Commissioner for Health, Dr Wahab Adegbenro, said this in Akure, the state capital, at the weekend during the training of about 120 health workers on basic life-saving.
He recalled that about 200 laboratory technicians and officers were trained about a week ago to improve diagnostic capacity at primary healthcare level.
He said the passion of Governor Rotimi Akeredolu at curbing childhood morbidity and mortality was evident in his efforts towards strengthening the primary healthcare centres to enable them deliver on their mandate.
Adegbenro charged the primary healthcare coordinators of the 18 local government areas to be on top of the various stages of implementation. the the
He also called on development partners, philanthropists and wellmeaning Nigerians to support the government in reducing childhood morbidity and mortality.
The Executive Secretary the state Primary Healthcare Development Board, Dr Francis Akanbiemu, said to end the state child morbidity and mortality, the primary healthcare centres had to be strengthened since they accounted for over 70 percent of caregivers in the state.
He implored parents and caregivers to seek medical attention at the accredited health facilities where there are skilled hands so that they could maximallyenjoy the dividends of democracy.
The lead resource person and Chief Medical Director of Mother and Child Hospital, Akure, Dr Banke Oluwafemi, demonstrated basic lifesaving skills such as prevention of infection, neonatal resuscitation, strategies of sustaining the life of a child beyond the neonatal period, among others.