Fg inaugurates committees to improve healthcare for mothers, newborn

The Minister of State for Health, Dr, Osagie Ehanire has inaugurated committees towards improving the quality of healthcare for newborn, mothers and children in the country. It is to drive the process of improving the quality of health care for mothers, newborn and children in a coordinated manner.

At the inauguration of the steering and technical committee that took place in Abuja, the minister stated that Nigeria was one of the first wave of countries to be part of the network to improve quality of healthcare among other countries.

Dr, Ehanire appreciated the World Health Organisation for accepting Nigeria’s admission into the WHO-led Network towards improving quality of healthcare for mothers, newborns and children.

He reiterated Nigeria’s support of the WHO vision where ‘every pregnant woman and newborn receives quality healthcare throughout, childbirth and the postnatal period’ as a country.

He pointed out that the Federal Government was committed towards developing health care strategies and plan in line with WHO‘s recommendation.

He reassured that with the calibre of members of the steering and technical committees, Nigeria could make progress in reducing maternal, newborn and child deaths.

The terms of reference of the steering committee include: To provide high level leadership for coordination of quality of care (QoC) interventions for Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health (RMNCAH) in Nigeria; to oversee partners and donors mapping, identify and mobilize resources from global and local partners for implementation of the national RMNCAH QoC roadmap and operational plan; to provide high level support to the WHO – led RMNCAH QoC network  and implementation of the operational plan at country level; to  provide overall guidance and approve action plans for the implementation of the national quality of care presented by the quality of care technical committee on RMNCAH;and to conduct high level advocacy on the improvement of quality of care in health facilities to all states of the federation, among others.

The terms of reference of the technical committee also includes, To contribute to the development of a national quality of care strategies of health services and develop an action plan/road map to improve national quality of care of health services for RMNCAH in Nigeria, provide technical support for implementation of WHO – led RMNCAH QoC Network action plans in the country, to develop strategies to link health facilities to communities to improve quality of care for women ,children and adolescents, to facilities and work hand – in – hand with quality of care teams in health facilities and to provide technical support for monitoring progress of RMNCAH QoC at regular intervals and put together country reports.

In her welcome remark, the Permanent Secretary, FMOH, Mrs.  Binta Adamu Bello, who was represented by the Director, Hospital Services, Dr. Wapada Balami, said that the inauguration was coming at this time when several plans are being made for Nigeria to attain the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030.

She applauded the WHO, Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Programme (MNCH2), Maternal and Child Survival Program (MCSP) and other development partners for the technical and financial support for this important project.