Mimiko hails reduction in infant, maternal mortality

Ondo State Governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, on Wednesday said maternal and infant mortality rates had reduced considerably in the state since his administration started the implementation of its reforms in the health sector.Mimiko stated this at the ceremony for the commencement of the November edition of the Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Week aimed at reducing infant and maternal morbidity and mortality in the state.He said a tremendous success was recorded in the last edition of the exercise.He said the reforms had reduced the number of un-immunised children and sustained to zero level status, cases of wild polio virus since the inception of his administration.Mimiko, who was represented by his Chief of Staff, Dr. Kola Ademujimi, pointed out that Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Week was aimed at scaling up a package of key maternal, neonatal and child survival interventions.This, he said, had been proven to reduce the high and unacceptable neonatal and child mortality in the country.He added that his administration had introduced a free health programme for children less than five years of age and pregnant women.The governor noted that each of the 18 local government caretaker Committee Chairmen had been directed to release an average of N500,000 for the implementation of this round of Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Week at the council level.The wife of the Governor, Mrs. Olukemi Mimiko said the exercise would assist government in reaching all the children under the age of five years with routine immunisation vaccines amongst others.She also stressed that mothers would have the opportunity of protecting themselves against tetanus by taking tetanus toixod during the exercise.She said, You will agree with me that the Maternal, Newborn and Child Health package is in line with the Ondo State vision on the establishment of Abiye programme and Mother and Child Hospital.
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