A community-driven health initiative, “SafeMamaPikin ” has been launched in Kaduna, North West Nigeria, to enhance maternal health care access, by ensuring that women receive comprehensive antenatal care and facility-based deliveries.
The Project provides among others, free access to antenatal cases, free ANC services for expectant mothers, necessary health assessment, education and support.
It will also partner with local health facilities to ensure that women could deliver safe under the care of qualified health professionals.
It also acknowledges that, the fact that addressing maternal mortality is not just about improving health care access, but empowering women and communities to make informed decisions regarding their reproductive health. Therefore, the SafeMamaPikin Project, according to the implementers, Zen Advisory, represents a vital step towards ensuring that all women in Kaduna have the support they need for a safe and healthy pregnancy and childbirth.
The Lead, Mohammed Yahaya
Launching the Project at the Kaduna State Ministry of Health on Monday, the State Lead, Malam Mohammed Yahaya said the Intervention would result in establishing a state support health insurance cover for at least, One thousand (1,000) women in selected PHCs under the first phase, while the Project would later expand to other States in the northern parts of the country.
The Project would also support Kaduna State with Public Private Partnership (PPP) towards improving and driving economic interventions for families and adopting a primary health care centre through a PPP with the local government.
Mohammed Yahaya narrated the expected outcome of the intervention, to increased skilled deliveries, reduced mortality and higher contraceptive use, while the socio-economic impact would include improved health literacy and data driven economic strategies.
The Lead therefore called on all stakeholders to join SafeMamaPikin and Partners to transform Maternal and Child health in Kaduna State to deliver life saving services.
In their contributions, stakeholders at the launch including officials from the State Ministries of Health, Budget and Planning as well as CSOs, NGOs and a traditional ruler, Bunnun Zazzau, District Head of Doka, Alhaji Bala Tijjani Mohammed described the Project as a welcome development and timely inview of the economic hardship in the country.
The benefits of reducing infant and maternal mortality, they said, can not be overemphasized because of their multiplier effect on the national economy.
The Stakeholders who stressed the need for sustainability of the project beyond the One year timeframe, also called for diligence.
The Implementers, Zen Advocacy, is a premier advisory firm committed to support government in transforming policies, business and health care systems across Africa.
