Harrison, an Emeritus Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, who made this commendation while speaking as the guest lecturer at the 7th Annual Olikoye Ransome-Kuti Lecture held at the Lagos University teaching Hospital, said that the Abiye Safe Motherhood programme of the Mimiko-led government has tremendously made significant impacts on the lives of pregnant women in Ondo State.
Professor Harrison likened Mimiko to the Late Sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo who established the Universal Basic Education whose lasting benefits were evident.
He said: “As we applaud Governor Mimiko and his team, we should also pay tribute to late Chief Obafemi Awolowo who in the 1950’s was Premier of Nigeria’s Western Region of which Ondo State was part. Awolowo’s daring established various social welfare schemes particularly universal basic education whose lasting benefits are obvious.
“Under the leadership of Governor Mimiko of Ondo State, a functional health care system for maternal and child health has been set up and from all accounts, it works. The people for whom the set-up is established trust it, with the result that its coverage increasing rapidly. Quality records are kept, they are easy to retrieve, so that with time the date obtained when analysed, will provide much correct information not only for health planning but also socio-economic and political advancement”.
In his lecture titled “Preventing Maternal Deaths in Nigeria: Looking Back and Looking Forward”, Prof Harrison submitted that high maternal mortality rate in the country was as a result of social, economic and political failure on the part of all stakeholders and called for the orientation of the entire population on maternal health.
He noted that the impacts of late Prof Olikoye Ransome Kuti on the lives of children globally should be applauded, stressing that the whole world would continue to remember his good work.
The chairman on the occasion and Governor of Ondo State, Dr Olusegun Mimiko in his remarks lauded the organisers of the lecture for celebrating the life of late Prof. Olikoye Rnasome Kuti, particularly his contributions to child health globally.
Mimiko noted that the theme for this year’s lecture coincided with his administration’s noble contributions to save the lives of the people, especially pregnant women and children in his State.
He stated that the Abiye Safe Motherhood programme of his government and confidential enquiry into maternal death policy have all assisted greatly in reducing maternal and child death in Ondo State as pregnant women and children under 0-5 years now enjoy free and qualitative healthcare in public health facilities.
Source:coastalnews
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