Ondo Partners FG To Thwart Maternal & New Born Mortality.

...Reiterates Commitment to ensuring healthy, accessible healthcare for all residents.

The Ondo State Governor, his Excellency, Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa has flagged off a 5-day Ondo State Maternal and Newborn Mortality Reduction Innovation & Initiative (MAMII) Co-Creation workshop on Monday, 26th May, 2025 at the Bliss World Hotel, Akure.

The special workshop that gathered many healthcare actors across the state in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health is essentially to encourage, raise awareness and awake the consciousness of the people to maternal and Neonatal mortality in order to halt the occurrences. 

In a speech delivered by His Excellency Gov Aiyedatiwa through His Special Adviser on Health Prof Michael Simidele Odimayo, he commended the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the renowned development partners, industrious team at the Ondo State Ministry of Health and other agencies in the health sector for their commitments to this transformative initiative, otherwise known as MAMII.

"Ondo State has long been a trailblazer in health sector reforms, and our participation in this national initiative is a reaffirmation of our collective commitment to protecting the lives of women and children across all communities."

"We recognize that improving health outcomes is only possible when there is deliberate and sustained investment, not just in infrastructure, but in the welfare and well-being of our health workforce and the broader residents of our land."

"Our administration has begun implementing the minimum wage, which increased from #35,000 to #73,000, a bold and compassionate move that reflects our dedication to uplifting the living standards of our hardworking civil servants."

He noted that this administration have approved the entry level of Medical Officers as Grade Level 13 and Nurses as Grade Level 10, aligning with best practices at the federal level and in order progressive states. This is part of our strategy to attract and retain top-tier professionals who will drive excellence in our healthcare delivery system.

However, permit me to inform you that we are assiduously working to recruit more healthcare workers. We have upwardly reviewed the salaries of healthcare staff, made attractive efforts to revamp our secondary facilities for effective Comprehensive Emergency Obstetrics and Newborn Care(CEmONC).

In our unrelenting pursuit of better health services for our people, I have also approved the rehabilitation of 102 Primary Health Care facilities across the state. These upgrades will not only focus on service areas but will include provisions for staff accommodations, ensuring a conducive work and service environment..

However, our government has committed over #98 million to vaccine coldchain and infrastructure, reaffirming our unwavering support for the National Immunization Plus Days (NIPDs) and routine immunization (RI) programs. We believe every child deserves the right to a healthy life, and this investment is a testament to that belief.

In line with our vision to achieve Universal Health Coverage, we have significantly expanded the reach of the State Health Insurance Scheme (ORANGHIS). Im proud to announce that retirees in Ondo state are now eligible to enrol in the scheme, a milestone made possible through the engagement of three Third-party administrator's to ensure seamless access to healthcare services. This  initiative not only guarantee financial protection for our citizens but also fosters a healthier population.

Additionally, the Abiyamo Scheme - our dedicated health insurance program for indigent pregnant women and children under five, with over 54,682 beneficiaries to date, has continue to enhance maternal and child health outcomes across the state. The Basic Health Care Provisions Programme ( Ilera Loro Scheme) further strengthens this effort by offering coverage to our vulnerable population.

We have also adopted the  Perinatal and Child Death surveillance and Response (MPCDSR) program, which remains the most objective means of verifying the impact of our investment in the health sector and has over the 15 years,  contributed to shaping our reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health policies and impacted  notable reduction in preventable material and perinatal deaths.

These giant strides reflect our unwavering commitment to inclusive, accessible and life-saving health-care for all residents of Ondo state.

As a government, we remain fully committed to supporting the outcomes of this workshop and to taking bold , sustainable actions that will ensure no woman dies while giving life and that every newborn gets the chance to survive.

Notable in the workshop were: Dr Aminat Mohammed (Director of Child Health, Federal Ministry of Health), HRM Oba Raphael Oluwadare Ojo (The Olupogun of Ipogun) among others.