Abiye, as the project is called, is unique in both feature and content. Abiye in Yoruba means, 'I will live and, my child will live'. By its definition, this initiative has become a talking point in the global arena where it is recommended for not just Nigeria but also Africa . The safe motherhood project targets pregnant women, nursing mothers and babies under the age of five. Operationally, a pregnant woman, right from the day she registers at the Ondo State Government Child Healthcare Centre, is attached to a doctor (also called Health Ranger) for the purpose of close monitoring. She is given a mobile phone with air time on the bill of government. This enables her to receive medical attention round the clock.This programme has become so successful in the last 15 months that the rate of maternal and child mortality in the state has dropped drastically while the number of successful deliveries has increased. The MCH in Akure, with five jumbo-sized wards, provides first-class care for the mother and child from zero age to five inclusive of surgeries where needed free of charge. With the 100-bed MCH , commissioned in February 2010, continually providing critical interventions, no less than 26, 150 patients were treated with 5,875 babies safely delivered within the first 12 months of operation. This is unprecedented in this part of the world.The success of this initiative has attracted the attention of the World Bank which is now recommending it as a model to resolve Africa's health challenge. The bank's Regional Vice-President, Mrs. Oby Ezekwesili, who commented on the programme in Washington, United States of America, recently, said Ondo State Government has provided 'a model and a benchmark for the African Continent in tackling infant and maternal mortality rate'. The Brettonwoods institution recommended the innovation to the Federal Government and other states of the Federation as a sure and fast means of combating infant and maternal mortality challenge. The body said African countries must learn from the Ondo experience 'where the governor has shown excellent leadership and commitment'. It also pledged to assist the state to expand the initiative.Mimiko had told the World Bank Vice-President that the Abiye project was aimed at realising the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by bringing qualitative, accessible and effective healthcare to women and children and also increasing the utilisation of health facilities. According to the governor, Abiye has a three-pronged strategy of providing reliable and quality care with fixed facilities . He added that it is targeting safe motherhood through professional and modern facilities while developing sustainable equity-based healthcare services on universal basis.While the healthcare ranger scheme outreach monitors the women and children, the apex Mother and Child Hospital caters for the welfare of the mother and the child after birth and up to five years. This project has also caught the attention of London Tropical School of Medicine which has engaged the MCH as a research centre and has attracted research fund in just one year of its commencement.With such outstanding breakthrough in healthcare delivery, in a continent where over a million children between the ages of 0 ' 5 years lose their lives annually with Nigeria accounting for 10 percent of the world's maternal and child mortality rate, Mimiko certainly deserves the accolades and attention he is getting from both local and international organisations.On November 24, 2011, the Nigerian Society of Gynaecologists and Obstetricians conferred on Mimiko the Fellowship award of the body. And following on the heels of the conferment of the award, the Nigerian Students' Union, London, United Kingdom, on November 26, 2011, honoured him with the International Leaders' Achievers' Award. Also, the national body of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) recently nominated him for the Governor of the Year 2011 Award.These and more that will certainly follow soon from progressive organisations, as well as lovers of progress, will remain the testimonial of a man of giant strides whose heart remains humble; a man who, although sprang from a pedigree of great men and women, has walked the path of humility. With his open-door policy and humane approach to governance, Mimiko is showing that real power resides with the people rather than the leader, and that service to the people is the only true essence of political power.ConcludedMartins wrote in from Akure
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