The Steer for Change Mother and Newborn Foundation, an NGO, has provided essential healthcare and support to 100 women in the Ijedodo area of Lagos to support pregnant women and nursing mothers.
The Founder of the NGO, Mrs Kikelomo Adisa, who spoke during the outreach on Saturday, said the programme aimed to promote health and well-being of vulnerable pregnant women in under deserved areas.
Adisa said the programme was also designed to sensitise women on measures to adopt during and after pregnancy to ensure safe delivery and reduce the rate of infant and maternal deaths.
She stated that items distributed during the programme included birth kits for pregnant women, baby-care products for new mothers, mosquito nets to prevent malaria, as well as rice, groundnut oil, clothing, and cereals for babies over six months old.
Adisa explained that the main objective of the programme was to reduce maternal and infant mortality by supporting vulnerable pregnant women and nursing mothers living in underserved communities.
She noted that many of the women had limited or no access to healthcare, which informed the foundation’s decision to regularly visit such communities to provide health services, check blood pressure, monitor pregnancies, and ensure the general well-being of the women.
She added that the beneficiaries were also educated on appropriate practices during pregnancy to ensure safe delivery.
Adisa further noted that the NGO, which was founded in 2019, had provided support to over 6,000 women across 20 communities through its various programmes.
She commended the organisation’s donors, particularly the Georges Memorial Medical Centre, for their continued partnership.
Adisa said other programmes of the foundation included women empowerment, nutrition intervention and payment of hospital bills for pregnant women who could not afford delivery bills.
She urged government to put all necessary measures in place to reduce the rate of infant and maternal deaths in the country by ensuring unhindered access to healthcare.
The founder called for continuous training and engagement with birth attendants, noting that they are the first point of contact for pregnant women in under deserved communities.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that beneficiaries were enlightened on the importance of antenatal and post natal visits and hygiene during and after pregnancy to prevent infection.
They were also screened for high blood pressure, sugar level, counselling among others.
The beneficiaries jointly expressed their gratitude to the foundation for supporting and promoting the wellbeing of pregnant women and nursing mothers.
