Buffett foundation to collaborate with FG on maternal, child mortality

By Folasade Akpan

The Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation says it is collaborating with the Federal Government to tackle preventable maternal and child deaths.

The Director of the foundation, Prof. Senait Fisseha, said this on Wednesday in Abuja during a visit to the Kuchigoro Primary Healthcare Centre (PHC) in company of the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Ali Pate.

According to Fisseha, the collaboration is to empower communities and give them the knowledge, resources and information needed to make sound decisions about their health.

She said “when populations are equipped with information, irrespective of the rumours and misinformation that is out there, they will make the right decision.

“Our hope is to directly fund government in that regard and to directly align with the priorities and strategy of government.

“Our goal is to clearly identify areas where we can support and we see the primary healthcare provision fund as a potential where donors like us can come and align and rally support behind government’s clear vision.”

She also said that the foundation had seen renewed sense of commitment from Federal Government, beginning from the President, in prioritising health and ensuring that every Nigerian, no matter where they are located in the country, is guaranteed the right to health.

“That is an incredible commitment because health is a basic human right. We also see from the outside that Nigeria is inflicted by preventable cause of deaths, especially maternal mortality.

“That’s something that’s preventable, but we know that Nigeria is leading the world and we don’t want to be known for having all these problems.

“However, with government’s commitment, and the right skill sets that we have seen, the committed frontline health workers and engagement of the communities, we can collaborate with government to tackle these issues.”

On his part, Pate said PHCs have become key entry points for manifestation of the transformation agenda of President Bola Tinubu.

He said that through PHCs, mothers are taken proper care of before and after they get pregnant and to ensure that the high level of maternal mortality that exists in the country is reduced to the minimum.
He added that “no woman should die while giving birth.

And that happens from the antenatal care that they receive and quality of care they receive in PHCs by our amazing nurses and midwives.

“Also, working with the states and the Federal Capital Territory, the Federal Government is committed to revitalising the primary health care system, linking them with hospitals so that people at least have the best chances.

“A woman has the best chance of surviving and for their children to also have the best chance of survival in the early neonatal period.

“The children would also be immunised against vaccine-preventable diseases whether polio, measles, or even the diphtheria outbreak currently affecting some of the states in our country.”

He urged traditional and religious leaders to continue to educate their communities to understand that the interventions being evolved by Federal Government are in their best interest.

Dr Adedolapo Fasawe, the Mandate Secretary, Health Services and Environment Secretariat, Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), commended the Buffett foundation for the humanitarian efforts toward mankind and for reaching out to Nigeria.

He said “right now, the foundation is in Nigeria to give, teach, advocate, inform, educate and also communicate with our girl-child and women and even our men on reproductive rights.

“How to take care of ourselves and the support we need in ensuring that we have fruitful and productive life in our childbearing and even after childbearing age.

“The amount of money they will give us is nothing compared to our goodwill and political will and our decision to do what we are supposed to do.”

The Sarki Garki, Dr Usman Ndakupi, said traditional leaders played a huge role in mobilising the people and sensitising them, especially in the area of health and polio vaccination.

This, he said, had helped in the eradication of polio in Nigeria.

He assured continuous support toward government activities in delivering healthcare to the people, adding that “we, however, request for more personnel in health centres all over the country.

“Secondly, we appreciate facilities you already provided but we want you to upgrade the secondary health centres to tertiary health centres.

“We know government has a lot of challenges especially in the area of fund, but we urge those that have the means to emulate the foundation and assist in alleviating our problems.” (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Remi Koleoso/Hadiza Mohammed-Aliyu