The Federal Government, under the Sector Wide Approach (SWAp), in collaboration with the Kwara State Government, has intensified efforts to upgrade healthcare facilities across all 16 Local Government Areas (LGAs) in the state.

The initiative, part of the Federal Government's drive to reduce maternal and neonatal mortality rates nationwide, is supported by the Johns Hopkins Programme for International Education in Gynaecology and Obstetrics (Jhpiego). According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), SWAp aims to strengthen healthcare systems through coordinated, multi-sectoral interventions.

Dr. Amina El-Imam, Kwara State's Commissioner for Health, stated during a one-day Comprehensive Emergency Obstetrics and Newborn Care (CEmONC) Assessment Report Dissemination Event that evaluations of secondary healthcare facilities in all 16 LGAs have been completed. She explained that the findings will inform policies to improve maternal and newborn health outcomes in the state.

Dr. El-Imam was represented at the event by Dr. Taoheed Abdullahi, the Ministry's Permanent Secretary. The report dissemination highlighted data-driven strategies to address gaps in emergency obstetric and neonatal care.

According to her, the findings will highlight both the strength and critical gaps in the state's CEmONC services.

She commended the state government for upscaling healthcare delivery as demonstrated by several infrastructural upgrade across the state.

The commissioner listed the upgrade of primary and secondary health facilities to include the Civil Service Hospital and Adewole Cottage Hospital among others.

She observed that government had also engaged in mass recruitment of healthcare professionals to address the human resource gap in the state.

Also speaking, the representative of the National Coordinator of SWAP, Mr Salami Olalekan, explained that the programme is a collaboration between the Federal Government, state governors and development partners.

He explained that every LGA must have, at least one functional secondary healthcare facility to help bridge the gap in the provision of emergency health services.

Olalekan said the refurbishment of these healthcare facilities is an integral component of the initiatives implemented to crash maternal mortality in Nigeria.

He explained that healthcare facilities that meet the accreditation criteria would be able to offer free Caesarean Section to pregnant women in need and be better positioned to manage emergencies referred within the LGAs.

In his remark, Dr Ola Ahmed, the SWAP Desk Officer in Kwara, noted that, at least, one healthcare facility in each local government is identified to provide care for mothers and neo-nates.

"This is to ensure that during delivery, the mother and the baby are well taken care of. We don't want maternal and child complications that will result in death," he said.

Ahmed explained further that, earlier in 2024, assessments were carried out on the healthcare facilities located in each LGA.

He revealed that the state government began renovations based on the challenges that were recorded so as to improve the facilities.

According to him, the state government is required to take ownership of the initiative, while the Federal Government expresses readiness to support the state.

Dr Kofo Ibrahim, the CEmONC Focal Person in Kwara, said that the assessment of the secondary healthcare facilities in each LGA entailed availability of infrastructure, drugs, human resources and health and emergency referrals.

(NAN) /p>