ERA, Ogun Partner On Rural Maternal Healthcare Services

Emergency Response Africa (ERA), a leading healthcare technology company in partnership with the Ogun State government, has come up with an initiative to save the lives of pregnant women and infants through the Rural Maternal Health Emergency Transportation (R-MHET) service.

This pioneering programme is designed to reduce maternal mortality and increase access to life-saving emergency obstetrics care for rural communities, where healthcare infrastructure and timely access are critical challenges.

Speaking about the partnership, the Ogun State commissioner for Health, Dr Tomi Coker, said “Research shows that when a mother dies, her child is 50 times more likely to die within the first month of life. The loss affects not just her family but the entire community.

“This initiative is a critical part of our strategy to reduce maternal mortality.

Partnering with Emergency Response Africa allows us to provide women with the life-saving transportation they need during emergencies, saving mothers, children and families. By saving one life, we are protecting the future of an entire community.”

The chief executive officer of Emergency Response Africa, Folake Owodunni added that, “We started Emergency Response Africa because too many lives are lost to preventable causes in Nigeria. These are losses we cannot afford.

“Our partnership with the Ogun State government on the Rural Maternal Health Emergency Transportation service will help us save more than 1,000 lives by ensuring that pregnant women can reach healthcare facilities during emergencies.

“This project is part of our broader mission to build a responsive emergency healthcare system in Nigeria that leaves no one behind.”

The project, it was gathered, is supported by the Novartis Foundation and the Global Fund through the Health Tech Hub Innovation Challenge.