(Ondo State Government to Organize a Meeting. Photo by Ondo State Ministry of Health)
A Non-Governmental Organisation, Jhpiego Global, has entered into a partnership with the Ondo State Government aimed at reducing maternal mortality and improving health outcomes for mothers and newborns during and after childbirth.
The President and Chief Executive Officer of Jhpiego, Dr Allyson Bear, announced this in Akure on Wednesday at the conclusion of a meeting on the Postpartum Haemorrhage project in Ondo State.
Bear said the organisation remains committed to advancing maternal survival across Africa through innovative interventions and strategic partnerships with governments and other stakeholders.
She recalled that the project, which launched in 2014 and was piloted in Ondo and Kebbi states, had showcased how Jhpiego could work alongside state and federal governments to improve healthcare delivery and strengthen maternal health outcomes.
“In this particular case, we’re talking about maternal survival.
We are making sure that our women, that our mothers are able to have a healthy pregnancy, have a healthy child, and Jhpiego is very proud to be a part of that, to be able to bring innovative and new practices to places like Ondo State, to be able to support efforts to reduce maternal mortality and make sure women thrive,” she said.
Bear noted that the organisation had trained healthcare workers, ensured the availability of essential medicines and supplies in health facilities, and supported broader efforts to improve maternal healthcare services.
She added that Jhpiego had also renovated health facilities to create safer and more conducive environments for women seeking care during pregnancy and childbirth, and pledged to continue working with governments and stakeholders to ensure no woman loses her life unnecessarily during childbirth.
Ondo State Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, represented by his Special Adviser on Health Matters, Prof Simidele Odimayo, described Jhpiego as a valuable partner in tackling postpartum haemorrhage through implementation research, and acknowledged that the condition remains a leading cause of maternal illness and death in low-income countries.
Aiyedatiwa said the state government is committed to improving maternal health through its “OUR EASE” agenda, which includes strengthening the state’s health insurance scheme for both formal and informal sector workers.
He added that indigent women are being enrolled in the state’s “Abiyamo” health insurance scheme free of charge to ensure that financial barriers do not prevent them from accessing care.
He said dedicated phone lines have been made available to the public for emergency referrals to the nearest health facility, and disclosed that significant investments are being made in the renovation and equipping of health facilities, alongside active recruitment across various healthcare workforce cadres.
He also noted that retired doctors and nurses have been re-engaged to help address human resource gaps in the state’s health system.
Postpartum haemorrhage, characterised by excessive bleeding following childbirth, remains one of the foremost causes of maternal deaths worldwide, accounting for approximately 70,000 fatalities annually, according to the World Health Organisation.