Kogi State Government has
commenced a five-day Maternal and Neonatal Mortality Reduction Innovation Initiative (MAMII) Activation Workshop
to tackle maternal and infant deaths in the state.
Declaring the workshop open in Lokoja, the State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Adams Adeiza Abdulazeez
said the program was organized in
partnership with the Federal Ministry of Health and
development partners
to address the troubling maternal and neonatal mortality rates in the State.
Represented by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Mr Steven Momoh, Dr. Abdulazeez explained that the Kogi State Government was deeply concerned about the persistent and high rates of maternal and infant mortality and was determined to address the issue.
He explained that the loss of lives through maternal mortality in the state due to preventable causes was not only devastating to their families but also had a significant impact on society and the economy.
While appreciating President Bola Tinubu for establishing the SWAP program that is changing and transforming the Health Sector across Nigeria, the commissioner also applauded the efforts of Governor Usman Ododo for making sure that Kogi citizens have access to quality healthcare services.
Doctor Abdulazeez charged the participants to engage constructively and contribute to tangible solutions that would reduce maternal and neonatal mortality in Kogi State.
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, explained that the initiative was part of Nigeria’s National Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative (NHSRII).
Professor Pate, who was represented by the National MAMII Lead, Doctor Dayo Adeyanju, stated that the program was also part of the strategies to address the first and second delays in maternal care and improve the quality of care through structured resource allocation, performance management, and multi-sector collaboration.
The State Coordinator of the World Health Organization (WHO), Doctor Mohammed Saidu, represented by Doctor Khalid Isah reaffirmed the organization’s commitment to supporting Kogi State in reducing maternal and infant deaths.
The State’s SWAP Desk Officer, Doctor Kelvin Jonah, explained that the MAMII program was designed to address the root causes of maternal and neonatal mortality and to identify practical solutions to eliminate them.
Doctor Jonah expressed optimism that by the end of the five-day workshop, Kogi would have a comprehensive, data-informed action plan to drive down maternal and neonatal mortality and strengthen the health system’s responsiveness.