Mrs Adesimbo is a Clinical Service Provider at Adeun Primary Health Center, Abeokuta, Ogun State Tom Saater
New Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation funded programme addresses gaps to improve infant and maternal survival rates.
Options is proud to announce that with we will launch a new two-year programme in Kano, Nigeria, funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and Technical Advice Connect LTD/GTE (TAConnect), to strengthen primary healthcare systems and scale maternal and newborn health (MNH) innovations as well as high impact interventions (HII) in reproductive, maternal, newborn, child, and adolescent health and nutrition (RMNCAH+N).
Despite some progress in improving maternal and child health care, the state faces persistent challenges in ensuring widespread access to RMNCAH+N services at primary healthcare (PHC) facilities as rates of ante-natal care from skilled providers (73.1%), facility delivery stands (25.8%), and skilled birth attendance ( 27%) remain low. These rates contribute to higher rates of infant and maternal mortality and underscore the urgent need to improve access to quality RMNCAH+N services in the state.
Options will partner with the Center for Integrated Health Programs (CIHP) to address these gaps by enhancing the quality and uptake of MNH innovations and RMNCAH+N HII services, promoting data-driven decision-making, strengthening primary healthcare systems, and fostering gender-responsive approaches to mitigate barriers and inequalities.
This programme will provide critical technical assistance to the State Ministry of Health (SMOH) and State Primary Health Care Management Board (SPHCMB) to facilitate sustainable improvements in maternal and newborn health outcomes the state.