By Bilkis Abdulraheem Lawal
In a concerted effort to curb preventable maternal and infant deaths, the Lagos State Government, in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health and development partners, has commenced a five-day Maternal and Neonatal Mortality Reduction Innovation Initiative (MAMII) Activation Workshop in Alausa, Ikeja.
Speaking at the event, the Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Professor Akin Abayomi, expressed the state government’s deep concern over the persistent burden of maternal and infant mortality.
He stated that the government is determined to identify and address the underlying factors contributing to the problem across the state.
Professor Abayomi noted that one of the key focus areas of the Lagos State health agenda is health financing, stressing the importance of health insurance in preventing catastrophic health expenditures.
He highlighted that Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu had domesticated the National Health Insurance Authority Act through an executive order, making health insurance compulsory for all residents.
He further revealed that the state government is currently upgrading 47 of its 327 Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs) and addressing ward-level inequalities in PHC distribution to enhance access to quality healthcare services.
Also speaking, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Health, Dr Kemi Ogunyemi, described maternal and child mortality as a critical public health concern.
She emphasised the need for improved coordination among partners, stronger data systems, and enhanced nutrition interventions, noting that malnutrition remains a silent contributor to child deaths.
Providing an overview of the MAMII strategy, the National MAMII Lead, Dr Dayo Adeyanju, explained that the initiative is part of Nigeria’s National Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative (NHSRII).
He said it targets a 30 per cent reduction in maternal mortality and a 60 per cent increase in facility utilisation in high-burden areas by the year 2030.
In her contribution, Dr Beatrice Ezenwa, Associate Professor of Neonatology and Lagos State Focal Person for the Nigeria Society of Neonatal Medicine, disclosed that neonatal deaths currently account for 37 per cent of under-five mortality in Nigeria.
She added that the MAMII programme aims to reverse this trend by ensuring that every child survives and thrives through coordinated, data-driven, and sustainable interventions.
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