Safe Birth Initiative donates medical equipment to help reduce maternal and newborn deaths

For every 100,000 expectant mothers in Nigeria, 800 of them would either die during childbirth or return home without their newborn babies. In worst cases, both mother and child would both die from complications arising from childbirth. The World Health Organization, WHO puts the number of deaths per year at 40,000 for mothers and 260,000 for newborn children in Nigeria.

These unfortunate incidents make Nigeria one of the countries with the highest maternal and newborn mortality rates in the world. The majority of these deaths are avoidable, but due to lack of adequate medical equipment and supplies at various hospitals, the issue persists.

But the Safe Birth Initiative launched by Coca-Cola believes it can reverse the ugly trend by working with various stakeholders to improve the odds of expectant mothers and newborn babies.

The initiative, which is a strategic partnership with the federal government, was launched on February 17 at the Alimosho General Hospital, Igando, Lagos. It plans to spread to several states across the country.

Speaking at the event, the MD of Coca-Cola, Yebeltal Getachew represented by Clem Ugorji, the Public Affairs and Communications Director for the West Africa Business Unit, said the initiative aims at providing adequate maternal and neonatal medical equipment and supplies to selected hospitals across the country.

“The Safe Birth Initiative is committed to equipping 14 tertiary hospitals in Nigeria with maternal and neonatal medical equipment, and training more than 80 technicians who will be responsible for operating and maintaining the equipment,” he explained.

“Next stop after Alimosho General Hospital is the FMC Owerri,” he added.

The Medical Director of Alimosho General Hospital, Dr. Adebajo Madewa commended the Safe Birth Initiative, calling it a timely intervention.

“The initiative is a timely intervention to the problems facing the nation in terms of safe delivery and maternity care,” he said.

Some of the trained technicians also added that the equipment donated to the hospital will be put to good use.

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Representing the Lagos state Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the Secretary to the State government, Folashade Sherifat Jaji also expressed satisfaction with the initiative.

“Lagos state government is always open for partnership in projects like this, and we’ll give the Safe Birth Initiative our full support,” she said.

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals, Princess Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire explained that the initiative was in conjunction with the Government in its resolve to meet the Sustainable Development Goal on good health and wellbeing.

“The Safe Birth Initiative is part of a relentless effort from the government to make sure that women all over the country have a safe delivery.  With this initiative, most of the complications that lead to death for both mother and child during childbirth will be a thing of the past,” she said.

As the initiative takes its projects to other parts of the country in the coming months, many Nigerians are expecting to feel its impact on the rate of maternal and neonatal death rates in the country.