“How GE is Addressing Child-Maternal mortality in Nigeria” – CEO Dr Lazarus Angbazo

Dr Lazarus Angbazo

Leading global technology and infrastructure giants - General Electric (GE) has said it is partnering with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Federal Ministry of Health in Nigeria on a 20 million dollar Maternal-New-born intervention programme. Specifically, the company said, the Initiative will bring together mobile and alternative powered health technology; task-shifting programs for nurses and midwives through a significant focus on training and consumer education for pregnant mothers to drive the right referrals at the right time to impact Millennium Development Goals 4 (reducing child mortality) and 5 (improving maternal health).

Under the terms of the agreement, each of the respective partners will contribute towards the $20 million program in the first phase for the acquisition of point-of-care equipment to strengthen the effectiveness, impact, efficiency and sustainability of primary care health facilities and services in rural and urban areas. The multilateral agreement provides scope for the addition of third parties in phase two, including donors, NGOs and other experts to ensure long-term sustainability and achievement of critical program objectives.

Other projects include ante-natal care training for 2500 health care officials in primary care centres across the country and the training of over 300 clinic attendants in Accident and Emergency (A&E) hospitals across eight states of the federation.

Speaking during an interactive session with the media, GE Nigeria President and CEO said the projects were being executed under an umbrella country-to-company agreement it signed with the Federal Government five years ago. “GE attaches importance to all these projects because of the importance of saving the lives especially women and children who sometimes die avoidably due to poor infrastructure or inadequate human capacity. Nigeria has one of the highest child-maternal mortality rates in the world and this should not be so.” Dr Angbazo stressed.