MTN Foundation, JNC International Sets To Reduce Maternal Mortality In Nigeria

MTN Foundation in partnership with JNC International has unveiled the “MTNF Maternal Ward Support Project” to enhance the efforts of the government in reducing maternal mortality in Nigeria. The initiative will contribute to creating unhindered access to affordable health care facilities/services provided by skilled healthcare professionals particularly for the safety of pregnant women and their children.

According to Ms. Nonny Ugboma, Executive Secretary, MTN Foundation, the recent UNICEF statistic shows that, “every single day, Nigeria loses about 2,300 under-five year olds and 145 women of childbearing age. This makes the country the second largest contributor to the under–five and maternal mortality rate in the world.”

To address this issue, mothers and their children are set to enjoy the best of health care as MTN Foundation collaborates with the JNC International and the State ministries of health across the country to deliver these services to change the narratives about Nigeria.

It is alarming that a sizeable number of maternal deaths in Nigeria are preventable “and that is why the MTN Foundation is concerned about how maternal health can be improved in our country” said Ugboma.

Honourable Abass Tajudeen, a member of the House of Representative thanked the MTN Foundation for taking a bold step in supporting the efforts of the Federal government in addressing issues of primary health care delivery in Nigeria.

Present at the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding were Commissioners of Health from the six pivotal states of Abia, Cross River, Kaduna, Niger, Oyo and Sokoto that were selected for the first phase of the project.

The first phase will involve renovating and equipping maternal wards in at least 24 hospitals across the six states. Each maternal ward would be equipped with items including: 20 hospital beds with cardiac rest; 20 standard hospital mattresses; 20 standard hospital bed pillows; 10 four-way foldable ward screens; 20 metal bedside cupboards; 20 visitors’ chairs; 10 drip stands; 20 hydraulic over-bed tables; 10 height adjustable baby cots and 2 Carl Novel baby incubators.
Below are pictures from the press conference and MoU signing ceremony today in Lagos.