By Samuel Bolaji
The Lagos State Government has unveiled a document containing strategies to achieve the vision of reducing and ending preventable newborn deaths and stillbirths in the state.
The document titled ‘Lagos State Every Newborn Action Plan’, which was unveiled and disseminated to health sector stakeholders at the Radisson Blu Hotel, Ikeja, recently was developed in line with the Nigerian Every Newborn Action Plan and the Lagos State Strategic Health Development Plan II, a statement said on Wednesday.
Speaking at the unveiling of the document, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Dr Olusegun Ogboye, noted that the LaSENAP document is aimed at scaling up evidence-based and cost-effective interventions that will serve as a concerted effort towards translating global, national and state commitments into a meaningful change for newborns.
While explaining that the LaSENAP document was developed in line with NiENAP and SSDPII by making use of 10 thematic areas and presenting the intervention packages required to improve newborn health through a four-pronged approach, Ogboye said implementing LaSENAP would help reduce neonatal mortality in Lagos and Nigeria.
He disclosed that Lagos State has made significant progress over the years in improving maternal and child health indices, stressing that this is consistent with the improvement of the state health system in providing quality maternal and neonatal care.
While unveiling the document, Ogboye urged all relevant agencies of government, developmental partners, civil societies, the private sector and other stakeholders to join hands with the Ministry of Health to mobilise necessary resources towards the full implementation of activities in the policy document.
