The Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare has officially handed over 14 newly constructed Maternal and Child Centres (MCC) and health centres to Federal Teaching Hospitals and Federal Medical Centres (FMC) in a move to combat maternal and child mortality in Nigeria.
Dr. Tunji Alausa, the Minister of State, Health and Social Welfare, disclosed this during an interview in Abuja on Wednesday.
The handover
- The initiative, part of the efforts to enhance healthcare infrastructure and services across the country, involves the operation of six fully equipped 80-bed health facilities and eight 100-bed MCC across 12 states.
- These states include Bauchi, Delta, Plateau, Taraba, Abia, Cross River, Oyo, Kebbi, Ondo, Kano, Benue, and Ogun.
- These newly constructed facilities, funded and donated by the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Princess Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, are expected to significantly contribute to reducing maternal and child mortality rates in Nigeria.
- Dr. Alausa highlighted that the MCC and healthcare centres will be operated under the Federal Teaching Hospitals and FMCs, thereby enhancing the capacity of healthcare centres to deliver comprehensive and meaningful healthcare services to Nigerians.
- Despite some progress in reducing children under five years and infant mortality rates, Nigeria still contributes about 20% of global maternal mortality rates.
80-Bed health facilities handover:
- 80-Bed Hospital Bauchi, Bauchi State: managed by Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Teaching Hospital (ATBUTH), Bauchi.
- 80-Bed Hospital Ugbuwangue, Warri South LGA, Delta State: Managed by the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Asaba.
- 80-Bed Hospital Oleh, Isoko South LGA, Delta: assigned to University of Benin Teaching Hospital.
- 80-Bed Hospital Jarnai Road, Wase: assigned to FMC Wase, Plateau.
- 80-Bed Hospital Wuro: assigned to FMC Jalingo, Taraba.
- 80-Bed Hospital Okutu Ikang, Okoyong LGA of Cross River: handed over to the Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Calabar.
100-Bed Maternal and Child Centres (MCC) handover:
- 100-Bed MCC, Kaura, Jigawa: managed by FMC Birnin Kudu.
- 100-Bed MCC, Tsamiya Bagudo: managed by FMC Birnin Kebbi, Kebbi State.
- MCC Tofa, Kano: managed by the Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Dawanau, Kano State.
- MCC Ifon, Ondo: assigned to FMC Owo, Ondo State.
- MCC Makurdi, Benue State: managed by FMC Makurdi and Medical Centre (FMC), Makurdi.
- MCC Ugwunago: managed by FMC Umuahia, Abia State.
- MCC Ikenna: assigned to Ogun State Government.
- 100-Bed MCC Abonde Ona-Ara, Ibadan, Oyo: managed by the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan.
The Minister expressed optimism about the positive impact these facilities would have on the health outcomes of the nation. He commended the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for their support, emphasizing the importance of inter-governmental relationships and partnerships in achieving SDGs 3 – ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for all at all ages.