By MOSES KOLO

Mr Seyi Tinubu, son of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has launched an infant and maternal health care initiative, “Drug Banks for Indigent Patients in Obstetrics & Gynecology and Pediatric Pharmacy Intervention’.

This is in the bid to cushion the nation’s efforts towards reducing infant and maternal mortality statistics.

Tinubu, who was represented by Mr Ojeje Onimisi, disclosed this on Thursday during the inauguration of the intervention at the Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital (ABUTH), Shika-Zaria.

He said: “This project is going to be expanded in the areas of medical equipment, research that revolves around infant and maternal health care.

“There will be 10,000 beneficiaries across 60 tertiary health institutions across Nigeria per month.

“That means we will be speaking of giving this aid to 600,000 indigent patients on a monthly basis.”

Tinubu said it was high time Nigeria’s ranking on the map of countries with high rate of infant and maternal mortality dropped.

He added, “It is no longer news that Nigeria ranks fourth in the league of nations burdened by high infant and maternal mortality rate.

“This is due to the lack of financial capabilities in purchase of necessary prescribed medicines either when ailing, or during childbirth.

“Our intervention is driven from the passion for children and the health needs of children as we have funded several hospitals before now.

“We have had to culture the skull for the treatment of a child with congenital anomalies.

“Now we are doing it on a larger scale to ensure that many Nigerians benefit as the intervention is for the vulnerable.”

Tinbu urged the management of the hospital to ensure the efficient use of the intervention for the indigent patients who were mostly vulnerable.

Dr Benson Cole, National Coordinator of the intervention, said the project targets 10,000 indigent patients per month across 60 tertiary hospitals in North and South Nigeria in the first Phase.

He said: “The event we are witnessing today is the commencement of a philanthropy initiative of Mr Seyi Tinubu.

“His love for children has compelled him to set up this Maternal and Child Health Intervention Scheme to administer free medicines and delivery materials to 60 tertiary hospitals across Nigeria.

“Because of the outstanding work being done by the ABU Teaching Hospital, Seyi Tinubu has been chosen here for the official commissioning of this nationwide project.

“You may already know the staggering unfortunate statistics of infant mortality in Nigeria.

“As at last year, it stood at 54.740 deaths per 1000 live births, while the Nigeria maternal mortality rate for 2020 was 1,047.

“Indeed, our maternal mortality is about the 4 the highest in the world, and according to World Health Organization “nearly 20% of all global maternal deaths happen in Nigeria.”

Cole, however, added that tertiary hospitals were chosen because of the enormous burden of indigent patients they received yearly.

This was also because they currently have better organised systems and infrastructure to administer the scheme.

He said, “As the National Coordinator of this project, I am delighted to let you know that after this first phase, the programme will be cascaded down to the Secondary and Primary Care levels in General Hospitals and Primary Healthcare Centres.”

The coordinator said the project would also provide clean water, by sinking solar-powered industrial boreholes in select densely populated communities with perennial water shortage.

Cole said, “This is with the aim of curbing the devastating consequences of cholera outbreak and other water related infectious diseases in such communities.

“Earlier today, we inaugurated the 1st unit of this solar-powered industrial borehole at Banzazzau, Zaria City.

“This programme is also launching a scholarship scheme for resident doctors who are in the final year of their pediatrics residency programme with a scholarship grant of N1million.

“This is to support them in registration and preparation for their final fellowship examination.”

Dr Ibrahim Mohammed-Zaria, Deputy Chairman, Medical Advisory Committee ABUTH, represented the Chief Medical Director (CMD), Prof. Ahmad Hamadu.

He applauded the initiative, which according to him, would go a long way in alleviating the suffering of mothers and children.

Mohammed-Zaria promised that the drugs would be judiciously served to the indigent patients at the hospital especially the pregnant women and children under five years of age.

“Due to the current state of the nation’s economy, many patients do come to this hospital without money.

“Some of them may have exhausted their resources at other hospitals before they are finally referred here but with this initiative, it would go a long way in alleviating their suffering,” he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that a scholarship sum of N1million was presented to one Dr Aisha Suleiman, the first pediatric doctor who has been exceptional in her work. (NAN)

•PHOTO: Commissioning of Mr Seyi Tinubu’s Maternal and Child Care Intervention Initiative being witnessed by some member of Management Staff of ABUTH, Zaria

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