Ondo targets zero child morbidity, mortality through ‘Agbomola’
In its drive to reduce indices of child morbidity and mortality, the Ondo State government has begun a Save Our Children Initiative called ‘Agbomola.’
The initiative will involve; provision of life-saving medical and laboratory equipment to all Primary Healthcare facilities in the State, training of health workers on the use of the equipment’s and strengthening of diagnostic capacity of the health workers to respond to minor and common causes of under-five and pregnancy related morbidity and mortality in the state.
Wahab Adegbenro, the commissioner for Health revealed this at the training of about 120 health workers on basic life-saving skills in Akure, the state capital.
Adegbenro recalled that about 200 laboratory technicians and officers were trained about a week ago to improve the diagnostic capacity at the PHC level, which he described as a first of its kind in the state.
“The passion of the Ondo State governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu at curbing childhood morbidity and mortality is evident in his painstaking and consistent effort to strengthen the Primary Healthcare Centres to enable them deliver on their mandate,” he said.
The commissioner said that the Governor had on the 20th of August commissioned medical and laboratory equipment worth millions of naira which was distributed to all PHCs in the State and had directed that workers to use the equipment’s should be trained to enable them perform optimally.
“Mothers and relevant stakeholders at the community level would also be engaged through specific and targeted interventions to help in addressing the common causes of childhood mortality namely: acute respiratory diseases, Malaria, Measles, Malnutrition and Diarrhoea,” Adegbenro said.
Adegbenro charged PHC Coordinators of the 18 LGAs to see it as a clarion call to be on top of the various stages of implementation and do all humanly possible to support the Akeredolu’s vision of a functional and qualitative Primary Healthcare system in the state.
He called on development partners, philanthropists and well-meaning Nigerians to lend the government a helping hand in reducing the indices of childhood morbidity and mortality.
On his part, Francis Akanbiemu, executive secretary Ondo State Primary Healthcare Development Board, said though the State has achieved great reduction in maternal and child morbidity and mortality, it would not rest on its oars until it achieves zero.
To achieve this targeted reduction, Akanbiemu said the PHC has to be strengthened since it accounts for over 70 per cent of caregivers in the state.
He implored parents and caregivers to seek medical attention at accredited health facilities where there are skilled hands so they can maximally enjoy the dividend of democracy.
Banke Oluwafemi, the lead resource person and chief medical director Mother and Child Hospital Akure taught with practical demonstration Basic lifesaving skills such as; Prevention of infection , Neonatal Resuscitation ,Strategies of sustaining the life of a child beyond the neonatal period among others.
Some of the participants who spoke said the role of training and retraining cannot be over emphasized in qualitative healthcare delivery.
YOMI AYELESO, Akure