By Umar Bayo Abdulwahab
Ilorin
The Wellbeing Foundation Africa, a pet project of wife of the former governor of Kwara state, Mrs. Toyin Saraki, yesterday called for renewed action to improve rate of newborn survival in the country “if the country is to meet the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 4 target.”
It noted that while progress had been made on improving under-five child deaths and maternal deaths across the board, progress on improving newborn survival “has critically fallen below expectations.”
The foundation, according to a statement from Mrs Saraki’s office, stated that “newborn deaths now account for at least 44 per cent of daily under-five child deaths, and if Nigeria is to meet Millennium Development Goals 4, the country must urgently accelerate action and interventions to save newborn lives.”
It said: “With an astounding 2.9 million newborns dying each year, and an additional 2.6 million stillborn births, the much anticipated Every Newborn Action Plan, convened by UNICEF and WHO, with the support of more than three dozen partner organisations, has outlined how to reduce at least two thirds of these deaths.
“Through an in-depth consultative process, the Every Newborn effort has developed a draft action plan to take forward the Global Strategy for Women’s and Children’s Health by focusing specific attention on newborn health, and identifying actions for improving the linkages between reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health (RMNCH).”
Mrs. Saraki, who was recently honoured by Save the Children and named National Newborn Health Champion for Nigeria, however, said the foundation “aims to stimulate international engagement, through advocacy and strategic communications, in support of the Every Newborn Action Plan.”
