Kwara State has recorded a reduction in under-5 mortality rate, dropping from 74 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2018 to 14 per 1,000 in 2023.
The state Commissioner for Health, Dr Amina El-Imam made this known during the national steering committee meeting of the European Union Strengthening Access to Reproductive and Adolescent Health (EU-SARAH) programme in Ilorin, the state capital.
Dr El-Imam described the feat as a major milestone in maternal and child health outcomes in the state, especially, with the support of EU and UNICEF.
The meeting, which brought together key stakeholders, including representatives from the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency, UNICEF, UNFPA, and youth representatives, reviewed progress and future direction of the EU-SARAH initiative across the three SAK states — Sokoto, Adamawa, and Kwara.
El-Imam said that the drop was a testament to the impact of strategic health interventions supported by development partners and the administration of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq.
“Despite the gains, we are aware that some mothers and children still die from preventable causes. This remains unacceptable”, she said, calling for intensified efforts to address the root causes of maternal and child mortality in the state.
She described the EU-SARAH initiative as timely and aligned with the state’s commitment to improving healthcare access and outcomes, particularly for women, girls, and children.
The EU-SARAH programme, jointly implemented with the support of UNICEF, UNFPA, and the Federal Ministry of Health, aims to enhance access to reproductive health services and reduce maternal and adolescent health challenges in Nigeria.
The Minister of Health and Coordinating Minister for Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, reaffirmed the federal government’s commitment to strengthening access to reproductive and adolescent health services in the country to create a more effective and equitable healthcare system for all citizens.
Represented by the Director and Head of Gender, Adolescent, School Health, and Elderly Division at the Federal Ministry of Health, Dr. John Ovuoraye, the minister outlined the ministry’s four-point agenda of improving governance, population health outcomes, healthcare value chain, and health security.
Pate said these priorities were designed to transform Nigeria’s healthcare system and reduce maternal mortality, especially in the SAK states.
UNICEF’s representative in Nigeria, Dr. Fatimah Gohar, reiterated the agency’s support for the initiative, emphasising its role in closing systemic gaps in reproductive and adolescent health, particularly in underserved areas.
The head of the UNFPA Lagos office, Abbigail Msemburi, restated UNFPA’s commitment to expanding access to sexual and reproductive health services across Nigeria.
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