The Kwara government has organised a two-day orientation and capacity building for members of the Steering Committee of the European Union Strengthening Access to Reproductive and Adolescent Health (EU-ARAH).

Amina El-Imam, Kwara Commissioner for Health, at the programme on Saturday in Ilorin, said it aimed to build the capacity of the members’ efforts to reduce maternal mortality rates.

Ms El-Imam explained that the programme aimed to help members understand the scope of Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child, and Adolescent Health (RMNCAH).

According to her, this is expected to promote healthy behaviour and reduce maternal and infant deaths.

“The programme is expected to achieve, potentially, a great reduction in maternal mortality. It will also serve as an oversight to the committee members regarding the utilisation of scorecard policy to achieve tangible health outcomes.

“Governmental capacity to coordinate and provide technical oversight for equitable quality services in Kwara will also be strengthened.

“It will also enhance data collection, analysis and the use of data to drive improvements at healthcare facility levels,” she said.

In her remarks, the Kwara EU-SARAH programme officer, Kafayat Kofoworola, said the programme aimed to strengthen policy coherence and improve the accountability framework.

According to her, the overall objective is to contribute to sustainable demographic transitional health coverage by supporting gender and adolescent health.

In his presentation, Abiodun Adeniran, a consultant gynaecologist at the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH), explained that RMNCAH interventions were technologies and key health behaviours which promote health.

Mr Adeniran, speaking on the topic “An Overview of RMNCAH”, said it was a holistic health initiative which spanned human life from infancy to adulthood.

Also, Afolashade Oluwakemi, Kwara Commissioner for Women Affairs, assured of her ministry’s support in promoting safe maternal, child and adolescent health.

(NAN)