Aisha’s Buhari’s call on infant mortality

Nigeria’s First Lady, Mrs Aisha Buhari, recently raised the alarm over the high rate of infant and maternal mortality in the country. Speaking in Lokoja, the Kogi State capital, at the opening of a three-day retreat tagged: “The role of women in driving the new direction agenda of Kogi State goverment,” Mrs Buhari was reported to have solicited collaboration from wives of the 36 state governors to tackle the menace

According to her, the 576 deaths per 1,000 births for preganant women and 201 percent per 1,000 life births for infant was unacceptable.  The president’s wife stated that the women should be at hand to assist in formulating good policies and implementing programmes that would  make life more meaningful to the electorate.

I am in complete agreement with Mrs Buhari on the need to reduce to the barest minimum, cases of infant mortality in Nigeria. As important players in their own rights, governors’ wives can certainly contribute significantly towards achieving this laudable goal.

Mariam Audu

Abuja